Welcome To The Machine
by Merchant Of Blue Death
Summary: Set a few weeks after Run Like Hell, Shinji and Asuka arrive in Tokyo Three in time to witness the first battle of the Angel War. Here they will meet lost family and new friends as well as fight the abominations known as Angels. Warning; Read Run Like Hell in order to understand the character changes. Elements of Full Metal Panic referenced but not enough for a crossover. 18 only
1. Chapter 1 Welcome To The Machine

**Welcome To The Machine**

A/N

To fully understand characters in this story please read it's preceding story Run Like Hell. Everyone is fully OOC if not.

As always I don't own anything regarding Neon Genesis Evangelion. All rights to the owners. I'm just writing what the voices tell me to write. Oh and my voices are telling me to get on with it.

 _Four Weeks After The Events Of Run Like Hell_

"We're sorry, but due to an emergency in Tokyo Three, all communication lines are down. Please report to the closest disaster shelter... We're sorry, but due to an emergency in Tokyo Three, all communication...CLICK"

Sighing the young teen male turned to his companion, "Well, the phones are down for some kind of emergency. Looks like we're stuck until she decides to show."

Asuka began to tap her foot becoming quickly impatient with the waiting. "Ach, I swear Shinji she's as punctual as most of the European railways. Could she at least once be on time?" the girl lamented, "I mean it's been almost three years since she saw us, a little effort would be nice."

Shinji for his part just rolled his eyes, Asuka complaining was par for the course and the Section Two agents that looked over them as well as their friends in the US took it in stride feeling sorry for Shinji as the teen had to put up with her antics twenty-four / seven.

Looking at his wife Shinji pulled her close saying, "Hime, you know this is typical Misato behavior, why are you letting it get to you?"

"Simple Baka, I'm hot, tired and sweaty. I need a bath and a good nights sleep and she's never on time," she whined before leaning close and whispering into Shinji's ear, _"I'm also very horny and you won't get any if I don't get a shower and something to eat soon,understand my love?"_

Showing a slight sweat drop Shinji just nodded before speaking again, " I do Asu-chan, but I still don't understand what this emergency is abou..."

As he was speaking the teen was interrupted by a series of explosions followed by a loud roar. Looking up the pair saw as a squadron of JSSDF VTOL aircraft began to back slowly from something. As they retreated the craft would ripple fire their loadout of two point seven five inch FFARs*. The unguided missiles seemingly having no effect on their intended target.

The target was soon visible as the VTOLs seemed to lead it somewhere. It was nearly twenty stories tall and bi-pedal. It's shape was a mockery of a man with a face plate the resembled a beaked skull. As Shinji and Asuka watched it took a tactical missile in the face, the detonation of it's four ton payload making no sign of injury.

Looking at each other the pair decided to make a run for it. As both were wearing their BDU's** they reached into the side pockets of their pants to get to their folding machine pistols. Not that the five point seven millimeter rounds would have any effect on this thing, but holding a weapon of some sort gave a little comfort to the two.

Looking around for a place to shelter a flash of color caught Shinji's eye. Blue, a girl with blue hair much like his sister was standing across the street in a school uniform. Turning to Asuka Shinji called that someone was nearby only to turn back and see...nothing.

It was the shriek of damaged turbines that caught the boy's attention as one of the VTOLs fell from the sky trailing smoke only to crash in the spot the girl had occupied seconds before. Shinji grabbed his companion and ran perpendicular to the direction of the wreckage's path of travel to find themselves in front of the train station they had just arrived at.

In that moment the sound of tires screeching to a halt brought their attention to a blue Renault Alpine, The passenger door was flung open and a face that neither teen had seen for almost three years appeared.

"Someone call for a cab?" Misato Katsuraki called out a smile on her face despite the drama unfolding not quite a kilometer away.

"Yes we did!" yelled Asuka as she and her husband dove into the back seat, "Now drive! Get us out of here!" she barked.

With that the Alpine's wheels spun until they gained traction and the car shot out of the parking lot and onto the avenue. Shinji made sure Asuka was not injured and then turned his attention to the Gojira wanabe that was fading into the distance.

As he watched he noticed that all military assets not just the VTOLs were pulling back. After a moments thought the coin dropped, N2, doctrine called for retreat of friendly forces prior to an N2 drop. The JSSDF were going to nuke the bastard and they were still in the casualty radius.

"Misato!" Shinji yelled, "Get us into a tunnel or behind a hill, anything! The bastards are going to use an N2 on that...that...that thing!"

Misato didn't have to be told twice, she drove for the nearest traffic tunnel and skid to a stop at the halfway point. Turning to her passenger she asked, "How do you know that they'll use an N2?"

"Standard doctrine for any western force or ally," the boy replied as if teaching a class, "pull your troops and any friendlies back to a safe distance and then launch or drop the sucker."

As the teen finished the tunnel was filled with a bright light as the aforementioned weapon detonated. The N2 or 'Non-Nuclear' warhead was the most powerful conventional weapon ever devised. Made after the use of nuclear and thermo-nuclear weapons were outlawed after Second Impact, the device delivered all the blast and thermal effect as a nuke but with out the radioactive fallout and other nasty side effects.

As the blast pressure wave passed the three felt their ears pop. As soon as that happened Misato put the car in gear and they were off. Hearing noises in the back seat she saw the two teens start folding and storing their weapons. She then took notice of their clothing, both wearing Mithril BDUs. She knew it was meant to be a slap in the face of Shinji's father and NERV in general. Asuka had been transferred, 'loaned out', from the Luftwaffe to Mithril until she could be permanently integrated into NERV. She never forgave her German superiors for that 'insult' but was happy that she now was in the employ of her husbands organization. So now she would show who she was loyal to, hurt feelings on NERVs part be damned.

"So, long time no see, what's up guys?" Misato asked with a smile. She was genuinely happy to see the two after the events in Berlin three years ago. "You two do have the ID's and paperwork that we sent you?"

Pulling the laminated cards from a rather large envelope the two held them up for her inspection. After a moment Shinji spoke, "We're fine, almost getting squashed by a burning VTOL not withstanding. Misa-chan, what the fuck was that thing they were fighting?"

"That Shinji, Asuka, is an Angel,"Misato answered in a voice they rarely heard, "It's what Asuka and Rei have been training to battle while piloting their EVA's."

"So, I've been trained all my life to fight those?" Asuka answered in a flat voice, "That's why they always told me that I was important to the whole world ?"

"Yes Asuka, that's why you were trained to pilot unit 02", came the answer. Misato sighed, Shinji, you were originally intended to train also but you..."

"Disappeared?" the boy interrupted, "Why am I not surprised? Just tell me, is my former father involved in this in any way?"

Misato felt a headache coming her way, "He's the commander of the Tokyo Three NERV facility I'm sorry to say. It's where units 00 and 01 are stationed and where the Angels are presumed to attack."

"I see, so who operates this unit 01?" Shinji asked, ignoring the news concerning his father.

"No one it seems, there has not been any pilot candidate that has been able to sync with let alone operate it," came the honest answer.

Asuka sensing her husbands unease turned to him, "What's wrong koi?"

"That unit 01, why do I have the feeling that that bastard has me in mind to pilot it?" turning to Misato he realized something, "When I was guarding Asuka in Berlin there was talk about them finding this 'Third Child', that was me wasn't it? You knew, Misato, you fucking knew!"

"No, I didn't, not until you two left and I read that letter", Misato replied, "Someone in Berlin suspected you, said you looked a little too much like Ikari Yui. They got your finger prints and DNA from a coffee cup. Someone decided to leave you be for the time being, said that it would distract you from watching over Asuka. They said one more thing, something I've hated ever since."

"What did they say?" was Shinji's response.

"They said that your mental state was too strong, you were supposed to be the opposite of what you are now. No friends, no interests, no confidence. You were supposed to be a very shy emotionally starved insecure teen," Misato answered as her teeth clenched.

"And me?" Asuka asked in a soft voice.

"I...I don't know dear, I don't know and I'm afraid of what I'd do if I found out," came the answer.

Asuka just nodded, then she latched onto Shinji, burying her face into his chest. Shinji, for his part, just held her close and stroked her hair. As he felt her calm down he kissed her head then turned his attention back to their driver.

"My sister, how's she doing?" he asked.

"Fine, she's awake and walking around in the medical center. Her boyfriend has been a great help getting her to move around and go to her therapy sessions," Misato replied.

"That's good then, I hear that Gendo has taken care of her like a daughter? I hope he's been a better father to her than he was to me," was all Shinji said.

The three continued in silence for a bit until Misato reached for her cell phone. As soon as the other end answered she began speaking.

"Makoto, it's me. Yeah, I got them. We had a bit of trouble when they dropped that N2 but we're fine. Look, send a train to the Konoha stop. We'll be there in about five minutes out. Talk to ya soon...oh and tell Kaji not to go ballistic on Shinji when he sees him. Ta ta."

As she closed her phone she looked into the mirror to see the two quietly necking in the back seat, "Ahem, while I know that you two are a married couple, I expect you to conduct yourselves in a discreet fashion. I'm fully aware of your actions while on your own, S2 was very detailed in their reports to me while you were away," Misato lectured, smiling as she saw Asuka pale, "and Asuka, Kaji knows to. He's a more than a little upset that the girl he sees as his daughter would act the way you have," now she was almost laughing as Asuka tried to hide behind Shinji.

Shinji spoke at this point, "What about Kaji going ballistic when he sees me?"

Misato just grinned, "Simple, you defiled his little girl and he's not happy about it."

"Well he can't say anything, we're married, so there," Asuka called out trying to defend her mate.

"Not all the time you weren't, Shinji-kun's mother told us all about why you two got married," Misato shot back.

"Oh", was all the girl could come back with. She and Shinji knew when they'd been beat. Just then the car had stopped in front of a large door that had begun to slowly open. As soon as it had opened fully Misato drove up a ramp and onto a rail car. Before the door could start to close they were on their way and the train and car were plunged into the dark of a tunnel.

Now that she could fully devote her attention to the teens in her back seat Misato began to turn around, only to be stopped by a soft female moan of pleasure. 'Oh fuck no, they are not doing that in here with me are they!?' thought Misato. Turning on the dome light she was surprised to see Asuka with her back to Shinji and the boy massaging her neck and shoulders.

Looking up Asuka gave a little smirk before crying out, "What? Jeez Misato, get your mind out of the gutter," Asuka then turned to her lover and said, "Yeah Shinji-kun, right there baby. Ohhh gawd you're sooo goood!"

Inside Asuka was laughing her ass off, it was part of her and Shinji's games that they loved to play on unsuspecting people. The idea was make suggestive sounds in the dark or behind the back of someone, then act indignant when they turned to confront them only to find Shinji or Asuka rubbing the shoulders of their partner. It was fun and now they had trapped Misato, revenge for the crap that she'd done when they first started dating.

Before said woman could react the train emerged into the underground lair of NERV itself. Both teens sat up and pushed themselves against the cars windows. "Wow! A real geo-front!" they both called out.

Misato smiled, her kids were being just that for the moment, kids. One of them, she knew would have to fight that thing on the surface, she just didn't know who. Asuka was the safe bet but Shinji was the one that actually had combat experience. At this point she just didn't know who was going to fight, all she did know was it wouldn't be Rei.

Once the Alpine left the train and parked Misato told the pair to don their ID cards. They were to wear them at all times while in the complex, no exceptions. They then entered the facility itself, Misato walking with a purpose and the young couple following.

After a while of aimlessly wandering about Asuka could not contain herself, "Don't tell me your sense of direction has failed you again nee-chan."

"No, it's not that, it's, well I've never been in this section before and it's not like there's signs to where we need to go," came back the weak reply from the purple haired woman.

Shinji then stopped in front of an elevator, "Well, why don't we take this to a level you do know your way around?"

Before Misato could answer the doors parted and out stepped a bottle blond woman in a lab coat and swimsuit. "Really captain, after three years you should know your way around by now. Are these our pilots?" she asked looking the teen pair over.

"What do you mean 'pilots', plural?" Shinji began to ask.

"Yes Rits, well at least Asuka-chan here, Shinji-kun is just her bodyguard as you should know," replied Misato.

"We shall see about that Misato, we shall see. Now come along, we're wasting time," was all the blond said before re-entering the elevator.

On the ride Shinji looked at the new woman and said, "Since you seem to know us, it would be polite to introduce yourself to me and my wife."

"Wife?" Ritsuko asked Misato.

"Long story, now kids, this is Dr Akagi Ritsuko head of Project E and our resident expert of the EVA series," Misato said as she introduced the good doctor.

Ritsuko looked at the pair, "So, you're Ikari Shinji, you remind me of your father."

"The name is Sagara and I doubt you've met my father. Ikari is no longer my name and I do not wish to be associated with that bastard Ikari Gendo...SMACKKK!"

Before Ritsuko could follow up with another slap to Shinji's face for insulting her lover she felt cold steel at the back of her head, "Hurt Shinji one more time and I can guarantee that your brains will be on the wall and NERV will be looking for your replacement, understand? Bitch,"Asuka ground out as she pressed her Five SeveN pistol against the doctors skull.

"Yes, I do," came the reply as Ritsuko tried not to piss herself as the girl withdrew her weapon. Shinji turned to look at her and frowned.

"Looks like the bastard wasted no time in replacing my mother, a little young for him aren't you?" getting no reply he continued, "You should control yourself better, _doctor_ , that's a bad temper you have, hitting a child like that. One more thing, if you ever try to hit me or Asuka again being shot will be your last worry. I'll fucking break your arm and then break your neck, capice?"

Something in the boys tone and demeanor told the doctor that he was fully capable of carrying out his promise. Ritsuko had never felt fear like this before and it was fear of a five foot five inch fifteen year old boy that most likely weighed no more than one hundred and twenty pounds soaking wet. She noticed that while not muscular, Shinji was whip cord toned and from what she was told, combat experienced. The reports had said that he was as cold blooded as some of Section Twos most ruthless agents, the boy was a wolf among the sheep. The girl was not any better from that stand point, Ritsuko recalled the reports of her shooting attackers without remorse and remaining calm during Section Two's debriefings.

'Great', the woman thought, 'just my luck to piss off the only two teens in Japan that would not hesitate to kill or cripple me.'

Before the situation could get worse the lift had stopped and the doors opened into a dark chamber. Walking along a grated catwalk the small group stopped. Turning to look around Shinji saw what he thought was a face. As he began to speak the lights flashed on illuminating a very large humanoid machine.

"That...is the ugliest arm-slave I've ever seen in my life," was all the boy could say, turning to Asuka he continued, I've seen the one mom helped design for dad and that was bad, but this is beyond ugly," he finished as he turned to Ritsuko with a self satisfied smirk.

Turning to Misato he said, "I presume that this is that bastards doings?"

Before the woman could answer a voice rang out from hidden speakers, "Correct! And you Shinji will pilot it," Ikari Gendo called out in confidence before dropping his voice to something quieter, "It's been a long time...son."

"You must be mistaken Ikari-san, you abandoned your son years ago. I am now Sagara Shinji, son of Sousuke and Kaname Sagara. I don't know you anymore," came Shinji's bitter reply, "If I recall, you said I was useless to you when you left me at my uncle's house. What possible use am I to you now?"

Gendo looked at his son and felt the cuts the boys words inflicted on his heart. He wanted to tell him it was not his choice, it was his mothers wishes that he was left behind, how much he had argued and pleaded that that course was not right. In the end however the man had caved in to the woman he loved. He was guilty as the boy charged so it was moot to try to explain.

Steeling himself the commander of NERV replied to his son, "That is in that past and neither here nor there. You will pilot Unit 01 or you can prove me right, waste all that training and walk away a useless coward."

"You sonofabitch!" Shinji exploded, "How dare..."

Hearing the hurt in his voice Asuka placed her hand on his shoulder to show him she was there beside him and to stop him from saying of doing something that he would regret. Turning to the now visible NERV commander she asked, "What do you mean Shinji pilots this? It takes years of training to get an EVA to move let alone fight, why not me? Where's unit 2, if you sent for me then it should be here."

"Shinji is the Third Child, unit 01 was designed and built for him to pilot," was Gendo's reply.

Shinji just stared at the monstrosity in front of him, after a couple of minutes he turned to his former father, "This is the robot that killed mother, isn't it? You want me to pilot the thing that took my mother away? Now I know you're insane!" he yelled out.

Gendo's voice was still calm and confident despite the shock at his son's reaction to his words, "Yes, it is the same mecha that was involved in your mother's accident. But it is also necessary that you pilot it, no one else can. Shinji, it will only work for you."

"And I'm to do what with this? Fight that thing, that Angel on the surface?" Shinji's voice began to rise despite Asuka's efforts to calm him down.

At this point Misato spoke up, "Shinji, if you don't pilot that thing it will destroy Tokyo Three first and then run unchecked until all of humanity is extinct. We need you to pilot this, I...I didn't think it would be you but Asuka's EVA is not here and Rei is still bed ridden. You are the only one that can do this, please. Look, forget the commander, forget NERV, do this to protect your wife and your sister," finished Misato who was hoping that she had gotten through with the startled teen.

Just as he was going to answer there was a strong tremor in the cages shaking a large light fixture from it's anchoring. As it fell towards the boy and girl a tearing of metal was heard as one of unit 01's arms broke free and acted as a shield for the pair. Looking at the machine for a minute Shinji thought about how selfish he was being because of his grudge against a man who had no place in his life, it was his duty to protect. He had once sworn that upon entry into Mithril's forces, it was why he went through hell, to protect, first Asuka and now if this was true, the planet.

Standing up he turned to his former father, "I'll pilot this thing but understand, Asuka and I are under NERV's employ, we expect to be well paid for our efforts."

Hearing that Ritsuko began to speak, "Listen here you little shit, you are in no posit..."

"Agreed, I understand that you and Asuka are captains in your organization, here you will retain that rank, paid as such and be given a bonus for every combat sortie you undertake," came Gendo's response interrupting Risuko's attempt to dress down the teen.

"One more thing," Shinji called out, these ID's, I take it that they're not normal identity cards? What do they allow?"

Gendo smirked behind his hands, his son was hooked and time to reel him in, "Not only do they identify you as NERV employees, it will also act as a debit card linked to your pay and as a driving licence. I understand you two own a car and a couple of motorcycles, this will allow you to drive them or any other vehicle you purchase in Japan. It is also a permit to carry weapons, the permits you have on your person at the moment are not recognized in Japan with the exception of your Mithril documents," the man explained.

Nodding in satisfaction Shinji called in reply "Alright commander, you have yourselves two pilots."

Misato grew concerned, "Shinji, are you sure about this?"

"No," came the reply, "but we really don't have a choice now, do we? Relax, between my arm-slave training and watching what Asuka was taught I should be fine. Now how do I get into this thing?"

After a few moments of debate and argument with Ritsuko Shinji now found himself sitting in an entry plug wearing nothing but his socks and underwear. Ideally he would be wearing a plug suit but no one thought to have one made for him prior to his arrival. Grumbling to himself and getting comfortable Shinji looked around the mecha's cockpit. It was very comfortable, the pilots seat it seemed was fitted just for him and there were two control yokes for his hands.

Falling on ingrained habit Shinji began to call to the units AI, "Begin start up sequence, set bi-lateral angel to three point six..."

A girlish giggle interrupted him as Asuka appeared in a holographic image at his left hand, "Koi, what are you doing? This is an EVA, not an AS."***

"I was trying to get this thing to start up, I take it that the AI in this thing is not what I'm used to?" Shinji replied.

"Yes my love, first there is no AI, not like you're used to, second, it won't begin to work let alone move until they pump in the Link Connection Liquid. You remember that stuff don't you?" Asuka teased.

How could he not remember that stuff, the first time he saw it he thought they were trying to drown his charge and he reacted like his dad Sousuke would have. He pulled his pistol and threatened the lead technician. After a dressing down from Misato and a beating from Asuka the boy had to apologize to the team and then listen as they explained what the liquid was designed to do.

"Yes dear, I remember, boy do I remember," was all Shinji could say.

Asuka laughed at that and the told him to get ready as the pumping was about to start. Shinji dutifully took a deep breath of LCL when it rose above his head and waited out the burning sensation in his lungs. He found that he could talk but it was distorted by the liquid, software in the comm system would rectify that as well as make incoming transmissions intelligible.

Suddenly a thought occurred to him, "Asuka, why are you on comms let alone in the command center?"

"Simple, I'm your adviser. Misato is the Tactical Officer and until my unit arrives I'm the Combat Coordinator. I'm your extra set of eyes since I can see your fight from different cameras I get to tell you what to do for a change," she replied in a bratty tone, sticking her tongue out for good measure, "Now let the techs do their job and get you launched okay?"

Then after a moment she added softly, "I love you, you better come back to me okay?"

Shinji just nodded, "I intend to, Asuka, I love you too," Speaking to the techs he said, "Let's get this moving, my wife hates it when I'm away for too long."

At the Shinji heard the techs on the command deck call out readings as the EVA began to move on it's carrier to one of the lift points. It would be taken to the closest access point to the Angel that had recovered from the N2 mine. Feeling the carrier slow to a stop Shinji felt himself getting locked onto the vertical rails of the lift shaft. The teen remembered from intel briefs that this was a mag-lev system. As he braced for a high gee loading on his body Shinji had an idea. He would have to take this thing by surprise so he decided to take a risk. The short briefing he had been given showed him how similar and dissimilar the EVA was from his M9 Gernsback. In his mind Shinji felt he could do it.

"Asuka," he called, "I have an idea, have them release the locks just before I hit the surface okay?"

Asuka looked at Misato in panic, what he was proposing was suicide. The momentum would shoot him no telling how high and if he landed wrong the fight was as good as done.

"Shinji, that's...that's insane. The risk of you landing wrong is..."

"I know what I'm doing," the teen interrupted,"No offense baby but you've only done simulator training. I have more time in arm-slaves, especially being air dropped, than you so trust me, unlock the EVA at the last five hundred feet. Remember what you told me? I'm the same way at the moment and well..."

Asuka blushed a little before looking at Makoto, "Do it, I'll take the blame if Baka-Shinji dies out there."

As Shinji rode the lift he could feel the locks open. Looking up he saw daylight ahead as he readied himself for zero-gee. The command crew watched with breath held as the EVA and it's pilot rocketed up the nearly four kilometer vertical track. As the carrier stopped the EVA continued into the sky. Just as Shinji had cleared the tower a beam shot from the Angel melting a hole the building he had emerged from.

As Shinji reached his apogee he realized something, "Asuka, where are the weapons on this thing? I can't find the fire controls."

"There...there are no on board systems Shinji except for a progression knife," at this Misato interrupted the girl, "Uhmm, Misato said the knife hasn't been fitted yet, so just think fast and be careful."

"That's it? Think fast and be careful?"Shinji exclaimed.

"Did I tell you I loved you?" was the weak answer.

Now on his way down Shinji bit back the sharp retort he had readied as he floated weightlessly in the LCL, "Yes you did, if I fail just know that I love you too."

"You won't and you'll think of something, I'll make it up to you," was all Asuka could say.

By now Shinji was on the ground and playing hide and seek with the Angel. As he ducked behind a building movement below him caught his eye, a child was standing where he would have stepped had he not stopped. Taking a gentle step back he saw an older kid, a boy maybe his age run up and grab her. Shinji called in to have rescue crews recover them and get the pair to safety.

Once it was clear Shinji called on his training, he was an SRT member like his father. SRT were the sneak thieves in the night, Weber had once called themselves new age ninjas. Now here he was, sitting in a giant robot, facing a monster from who knows where, unarmed and in an unknown city.

Just what he had been trained to work with. His first action was a rush towards his target, grabbing it's left arm he continued his rush until he was behind and to the side. A thrust from his free hand into the Angel's elbow was rewarded with a howl of pain as the joint was shattered and the arm hung uselessly in the air. Side stepping his opponent the teen threw a jab to the base of the skull, a killing move but the Angel dodged at the last moment.

Turning to face it's abuser the Angel's eyes flashed and Shinji felt the beam as it hit his EVA in the chest. To the boy it felt as if he'd been hit by a flame thrower as he backed away and into cover. All the time he was screaming in pain. Asuka was almost in tears at hearing her love in this much pain. She heard Misato explain to Shinji that the higher a person could synchronize with an EVA the more they would feel what the machine 'felt'. To Asuka it was little comfort, she should have told him about that fact but it had slipped her mind.

She along with the others were astounded by Shinji-kun's sync ratio,it was higher than hers by a few points and almost as high as the First Child, Rei. Shinji just made some crude remark about sync rates and pain thresholds. All he wanted was for this to be over, unknowingly mirroring Asuka's feelings as well.

Shinji moved in to make another attempt and catching his opponent off guard he was able to break the other arm. However to his surprise the Angel had healed himself and turned the tables on the boy. Gripping unit 1's arms in it's hands the alien being squeezed until Shinji felt as if his own arms had been crushed into dust before feeling the sharp jolt of pain as he felt his right arm was torn away in a single tug.

Backing away in pain Shinji blindly tried to find a way to overcome this setback, he wouldn't call it a defeat until he was dead and buried. As he gained some space he was taken by surprise as the Angel charged him this time grabbing the EVA's head in both hands. Shinji struggled to get free as the pressure on his head increased. At the same time he could hear the frantic calls of the techs as one by one systems began to fail. At this point a rod appeared from the Angels head and began to bash into the head of unit 01.

Asuka flinched with each blow, her Shinji-kun's cries of pain echoing throughout the command deck. Turning she gazed at the stoic figure of Gendo Ikari. She was surprised at his expression, contrary to his earlier actions and bearing the man was visibly shaken. Although he had his hands in front of his mouth and his eyes covered by his glasses the look of concern was there as was the body language. The man was barely holding himself together and it did not look as if it was a failed mission that was the cause. He really was worried for the boy, she wondered why that would be when it was he that abandoned the boy years ago. 'Maybe he's afraid of losing a second chance', thought the red head.

In the background the bridge bunnies calls were getting frantic,..." ego regressing past borderline..." "...o good, brain wave activity slowing, get..." "Pilot is in cardiac arrest, doctor, without a plug suit we can't shock him..." "...y this, increase oxygen saturation, that shou..." Asuka had tuned all that out while she was in deep thought, the calls just noise in the background, but for now her concern was Shinji. Turning her attention to the command crew one of the techs, the girl, Maya, she remembered, uttered the dreaded words, "Unit 01 has gone silent, no readings from the pilot all inputs flat lined."

As the steady tone that indicated no heat or brain activity sounded on the command deck sounded a very small voice was heard. "No, oh no, please no" Asuka whispered as she looked at the blank screen, somehow they had lost the signal into the plug, "NO! SHINJI! You promised!"

Misato was at Asuka's side in an instant desperately trying to calm the girl down. "It'll be okay, he'll be fine," she told the girl, not believing her words, she just needed Asuka to calm down, "Asuka, Asuka, listen to me. Shinji will come through this, he's always out fought and out thought every one and everything he's come across. He'll be okay, he'll keep his word to you I promise."

Shinji at the moment was in a world of light and warmth. 'Am I dead?' he thought, 'Is this how I end? At least I told her I loved her.' Shinji's only regret was that he and Asuka didn't get a chance at parenthood. It was something they both wanted but decided that it would have to wait until they were a bit older. That last thought touched something or someone that was bound to the EVA. Shinji's last vision before passing out was that of his long dead mother.

Unbeknownst to the boy an entity made it's presence known. It reached out and touched his mind and was surprised, her son was married had become a soldier and already completed school with a degree. He was very strong both in mind and body the entity found. He had been taken in by a young couple who raised him to be strong. Her plans it seemed had been for naught and a mistake to begin with.

The boy had disowned his family name, shunned his father, the one person that had argued against her plans and course of action. He held so much hate for her husband, his father. Ikari Yui realized that everything she thought was right was so very wrong and now her son was dying. Dying in the very thing that should have kept him safe. In that moment the soul that had been Yui Ikari made a decision, her son would live, she would fight, just so he could live.

As the command crew sat in silence, the readouts confirmed their worst nightmares while they had to listen to the cries of a girl that had just been made a widow. No amount of button pushing was going to get unit 01 moving again and so they sat. Sat and listened to Asuka crying her heart out while waiting for their demise as the battle to save humanity had failed.

It was Asuka that noticed that unit 01 had reactivated, it's eyes glowing once again while signals sprang to life. As Unit 01 stood it's remaining arm had regenerated and it reared back and roared. The cigarette dropped from Ritsuko's mouth as the EVA charged into it's target. The Angel put up it's AT field but that was quickly cancelled out by unit 01's own AT field. Grabbing the Angel's right arm the EVA yanked down ripping the appendage from the Angel's body.

Still roaring in defiance unit 01 began to beat the Angel with the bloody end of it's own arm into submission. As the Angel staggered back the EVA placed the arm to the stump of it's own right arm, as the end of the alien touched the EVA it assimilated it into it's body and 'regrew' it's arm. Then it started hammering both hands against the red core of the Angel as the hardened crystal began to shatter and crack the Angel made a last desperate move. Wrapping itself around unit 01 it began to self destruct.

The explosion was tremendous, bigger than the earlier N2 blast. The pyre of smoke and flame that marked the Angel's last stand rose into the stratosphere in a cross shaped cloud.

Rescue crews were dispatched to recover the body of the pilot. As there were no readings from the plugs sensors it was safe to assume he had died in action. Asuka went along to be with her Shinji while Misato stayed back and went over the results of the battle. Nobody had the nerve to tell the girl that it was the EVA that made the kill, the machine had entered what was called a berserker mode. It was basically a self preservation action and last resort of the biomechs.

As the command staff conferred the news they got from Asuka was welcome. Shinji was alive, while he was pulled from the plug unconscious, he was most certainly alive. Asuka was beside herself in joy and Misato was hugging Ritsuko tightly. It was a relief that their untrained and unprepared pilot was still among the living. Shinji was rushed to NERV's medical center and taken to the ER.

It was not so easy on the boy as everyone initially thought, he went into cardiac arrest while enroute and had to be shocked twice to get his heart started. That caused Asuka to cry again, the EMT told her that she needed to talk to the boy, let him know she was nearby. It worked, his heart rate began to get stronger. At that point his EEG was showing low activity but once Asuka started speaking that began to climb also.

It was at the ER that the young couple were separated and only until Shinji was stabilized and sent to his own room upstairs. It was there that Misato had found them, Asuka sitting in a chair with her head resting on the boys chest. She was also holding his hand in hers. Misato came in and had a few words before leaving with the promise of a meal for the girl.

It was almost twelve hours after he arrived in the ER that Shinji woke up. The first thing he saw after looking up at an unfamiliar ceiling was a head of red. Asuka was lightly snoring on his chest but woke as he began to stir.

"Welcome back," was all she said before launching herself at him in order to capture his lips with hers.

They stayed that way for some time, kissing and touching one another. All to make sure that their partner was real and not a dream. As soon as she was satisfied Asuka sat up and slapped Shinji across the face.

With a tearful "That's for making me cry", Asuka buried her face into Shinji's chest to hide her sobs. When he asked why she was crying so hard her answer was painfully blunt, "You died, three times. Once in unit 01. The second time in the ambulance on the way here and the last time in the ER."

Shinji was shocked into silence, there was nothing he could really say to her except for one thing, "I'm sorry," he quietly said to her, "I'm sorry for leaving you that many times and I'm sorry that I made you cry."

Asuka put her finger to his lips, "Never apologize for something that's not your doing. You had no choice in the matter, your former father could have had my unit brought out here or they could have at least had some form of weapon for you to use," she told him.

"You know," Shinji began, "I don't remember dying the second or third times but I do remember the first. I remember being in a space that was all white and warm, and my last thought was regretting not getting a chance to become a parent with you. That's what I'm really sorry for, that we have to wait until all this is over."

Asuka was quiet for a bit, what Shinji had told her was something that had passed in her mind when she was told he was presumed dead. Now her husband was voicing that regret and she had to respond to it.

Taking his hand and kissing the back of it she spoke, "If more pilots are trained I'll take time off so I can be a mother, but you'll have to help with the baby when your not working or away on assignments, okay?"

Shinji just kept quiet but nodded his head in agreement with her idea. They would still have a chance to be parents in the near future. Asuka found it a bit ironic. Years ago, when she entered puberty and began having her 'monthly visitor' she swore that she would never have kids. Now, just a few years later it was one of the things she wanted with all her heart, to be a mother with Shinji at her side.

The pair just held hands in comfortable silence for a long while. Misato found them that way when she came to check on the pair. She also had something of a surprise for them. If Shinji was up to it she'd take them to see Rei as her room was just down that hall.

"Aren't you two cute," she called out making the teens jump.

"Fuck Misato, give us both heart attacks why don't you?" was all Asuka could get out while scowling at her adopted big sister / mother figure.

Shinji was just a casual "What she said," before asking a couple of questions regarding the battle after he had passed out.

Misato frowned at first replying that she had no real answer for him he needed to ask Ritsuko for that information, but she did have a surprise for the pair. Producing a wheel chair she and Asuka helped Shinji into it. Being the brat she is the girl sat in her husbands lap and demanded that Misato push them both to wherever this surprise lay.

Misato just rolled her eyes and held her tongue, if Asuka wanted to be a little bratty right now she'll allow it, the last day had been stressful to everyone but mostly to the young teen in front of her.

After a short ride down a couple of hallways they arrived at a door with a couple of Section Two agents by the door. The men stood aside as Misato pushed the teens inside. As she entered she noticed the pair at and on the bed, they had been sharing a kiss and had jumped apart like scared rabbits.

In a cheerful voice Misato called out, "Look who came to visit guys, Rei, your brother is here to see his sister and to kill the guy that's been making out with her!"

At that point Shinji walked up to the bed. As he sat down on it next to Rei he took her into his arms and whispered, "Hey little sister, I'm here now. I'll take care of you like a big brother should," as he held her he gently kissed her head. At the same time Rei hugged him as tight as she could, praying that this was not a dream.

Asuka hugged her next, "Rei, I'm your sister in law Asuka. I'm very happy to meet you, welcome to our family."

Rei smiled at Asuka and told the girl how happy she was to finally meet everyone. Kensuke walked over to his girl and sat next to her on the bed. "So, you're Rei's big brother, you don't seem any older than her, what gives?"

Shinji laughed at the boy and told him the best they could figure out was Rei was conceived before Shinji was born so she's the youngest of the three pilots. That being said, she was also the one with the most experience since Asuka had to flee Berlin and all Shinji could do was pilot an AS. Hearing this Kensuke was almost hero worshiping the teen, with Shinji telling Aida that being a child soldier was not a good thing.

Kensuke, being how he is ignored what Shinji had said about the job of a soldier not being all that great had and Shinji had enough. Turning around to look at the boy he snapped, "You think I enjoy doing what I do?", he asked the other boy getting a look of surprise in return, "Tell me Aida-san, do you remember your first kill? Your second? How about your tenth? Take a look at my wife, she's had to do the same as I and I know that it still makes her sick to think about it. I remember the first ten or so like my dad, and after that it's all a blur. But, I can tell you this, it's something that you never get used to but you do it anyway, like my old man says, it's just a job, but it's a shitty and fucked up job. So tell me, Aida-san, when did _you_ make your first kill?"

Everyone in the room was silent, Asuka was looking down holding Shinji's hand, her kill total was less than ten and she could see everyone when she closed her eyes, she knew that she and Shinji had PTSD, the degree of which varied, hers was not so bad, Shinji would wake some nights screaming. Kaname had confided in her and Shinji had confirmed it, Sausuke was a basket case for the first years as a family until he sought help. Even today the man had flash backs of sorts if he was caught off guard. Kensuke on the other hand looked ashamed. He had never thought beyond the cool factor in firing a weapon and now his girlfriends brother had told him that at age fifteen he had killed more than a few people and his fourteen year old wife had also killed others. It was a sobering experience to say the least.

"Wow, I'm sorry Sagara-san. I never thought about the consequences, just how cool it would be to shoot a real gun or pilot an AS. Forgive me," Kensuke said to Shinji and by extension Asuka.

"Look, I'll admit, piloting an AS and hitting the range is fun and all but those actions are for one purpose, to kill and destroy an enemy force," Shinji tried to explain to the otaku, "The chance of Rei going into combat has lessened now that I and Asuka are here but you need to understand something, the three of us are in military service and you're the outsider looking in. Pray that that's all you'll be," Shinji told the other boy.

Seeing the look on his face Asuka in one of her kinder moves put her hand on Kensuke's shoulder, "The longer you are around us the greater the chance you'll get sucked in. Never think that what we do in a fight is fun or cool. Kensuke, people die when they engage Shinji and I, people die," Asuka finished her bit and hoped that what they said had sunk in.

Kunsuke looked at the two and said something that surprised everyone in the room, "Suppose I want in, suppose I want to protect Rei like you do with Asuka," Kensuke stated, "How do I go about it? What and who do I need to know?"

Shinji looked to Misato for help seeing the older woman stand and walk over to the four teens, "Kensuke, what you are asking is something none of us have any power to grant, she began to explain, "For better or worse these three are pilots and Shinji is a Mithril contractor. Neither Mithril or NERV would consider you as a guard for Rei. No buts, I know your argument but Shinji and Asuka were protector and protected long before they became...close. You and Rei are a couple and that can work against you in a time of stress."

At that point Shinji looked the boy into the eyes and spoke, "Look, no matter how much you want to do this I'll fight it for as long as I can," seeing the look in the otaku's face he plowed on, "You're still innocent, a couple of years ago two of our friends crossed the line and killed to protect us. Those boys were sick for days once the reality of their actions set in. My employer made me pay for their mental treatment as punishment for taking them in," pausing to get the boys attention Shinji leaned into the boys face until their noses almost touched, "Aida-san, those two guys were thirteen, they will never,ever be the same as they were before they pulled the trigger. It's only because of the entire group of friends and their treatment that they are not walking head cases. You never want to willingly do what I do, the only reason I was trained was the fact that there was a threat to Asuka and I was the only one that could get close to her and not draw attention. Trust me, you do not want to enter our world."

"But what if I do? As I said, I want to be able to protect Rei and this is not a spur of the moment thing, I've been thinking about it and I've mentioned it to Ikari-san," Kensuke explained drawing a pained look from Shinji.

Sighing as he new that the other boy would not take no for an answer Shinji just looked at him and gave his answer, "If and only if you are taken into the program I will train you," seeing the boys eyes light up Shinji decided to cool his jets a bit, "Understand this, I am a member of SRT, Mithrils Tier One asset. We are only behind the SEAL Teams in training and equipment. If you are brought in you will be trained to SRT standards, and before anyone asks, Asuka has qualified to be rated for SRT so if I'm not drilling you then she will be and Kensuke, Asuka is a lot less kinder than I."

Kensuke looked Shinji in the eye, steeling himself he just ground out, "Bring it on then Sagara-san, I won't back down and I...am...not afraid."

Shinji and Asuka just looked at the boy for a second before Shinji made his reply, "Oh, you will be Kensuke, you will be."

Shortly after that encounter the trio bid themselves goodbye and went on their way. Shinji had been cleared to go home but the teens had no idea where they would be staying. There was housing in NERV itself, some of the higher ranking staff such as the commander and vice commander lived there but Misato decided that it would not be suitable for Shinji and Asuka.

After some thought she made a couple of calls before returning to the teens, "Good news," she called out, I found a place for you to live."

"Really? Where's it?" Asuka asked hope for a place like the one they had in the States.

"Well you have to share the place with a roommate but the rent is paid for, you just have to do some chores to earn your keep," Misato replied.

"Where and with who Misato," came Shinji's tired response. He was in no mood to play games at the moment the events of the last day taking it's toll on him.

Misato's smile faltered for a moment before if lit up again, "Well, it's with me of course. It's kind of hard to get your own home as you have to be twenty to sign a contract and your emancipation papers are a little suspect if you ask me."

"Uhmm...no?" Asuka's response surprised the purple haired woman, she had been sure that the kids would accept the offer, the apartments in NERV were little better than rooms in a barracks. Well, the ones that are assigned to junior and mid level officers.

Speaking of which, the two in front of her were captains, the same rank as herself, so she wouldn't be able to pull rank on them and just order them to live with her. As she racked her brain for a way to convince them Shinji spoke up.

"Fine, we'll live with you," came his tired voice. Looking at Asuka he just said, "What, knowing her all our shit is at her place anyway. Besides, I'm too fucking tired to care."

With those words the trio set out for a blue Renault Alpine and home.

 _Footnotes:_

 _FFAR; Folding Fin Artillery or Aerial Rocket, Also known as the 70mm Hydra, standard unguided weapon of Western armed forces and their allies. It is two and three quarters of an inch in diameter and can be fitted with a variety of warheads and fuzes. Depending on the launcher it can be carried on a single rail to a 19 shot pod._

 _BDU; Battle Dress Uniform, A set of clothing designed for a combat environment in either a single drab color or a camouflage pattern. Shinji and Asuka's BDUs are in a single olive green shade and tailored more like the old fatigue uniforms the US issued prior to the 1980's._

 _AS; Arm Slave, A bi-pedal mech that is approximately 20-30 feet tall and fitted for one pilot. It carries a range of internal weapons as well as a mono-molecular edged fighting knife and upscaled firearm of some sort. The pilot is also aided by an on board AI to handle the more taxing duties. Shinji is qualified to pilot the standard Mithril unit an M9 Gernsback that is fitted with custom gear designed for Mithril_

 _SRT; Special Response Team, Mithril's tier one special warfare unit. Shinji was trained by SRT at age 10 by his adopted father and others to prepare him for his job as Asuka's bodyguard. While harsh the training is designed more to recondition Mithril members that had had SAS, SEAL or Spetznatz training prior to joining the private military company Mithril. Asuka was trained while she and Shinji were living in California before being called to Japan. There was a nearby US Navy complex that due to a number of agreements allowed the teens to use the training facilities with other non-US personnel. Maybe someday I'll post a one shot showing Asuka being put through the wringer, remember, she's a member of the Luftwaffe though in name only as she's spent her entire life being trained by NERV._

 **A/N**

Well this is the entry to the next step in the pairs journey. They've finally arrived in Japan and reunited with Misato as well as confronting one of Shinji's deamons. The have also welcomed in a new member of their family and had to deal with Kensuke's obsessive nature for any and all things military. And yes along the way I've rewrote canon.

Asuka is not the "I refuse to cry" girl she was in canon. She can and does show emotion and while she is not above hitting Shinji she does it only when he needs it. Baka is not the insult it is in canon and she uses it as a sign of love. The two also address each other as koi quite a bit as it's a Japanese term of endearment. Shinji will also call Asuka 'hime' from time to time as he sees her as a princess, this goes back to when they were small children when they spent time together.

Shinji is more emotionally stable than his canon self, in fact if this Shinji met the canon one he would be sick at what he became and would kick the shit out of the wimp. This Shinji here is not infallible, he will make mistakes and he can and will fall prey to his emotions. He hates his father Gendo for his abandonment, at this time I don't know if he will ever reach out to the man if he ever finds out the truth about his mothers plans.

At the same time Gendo is slowly sliding into darkness. He sees Rei as his daughter more then Shinji as his son. This comes from Shinji taking his adopted fathers last name and identifying with him more than Gendo. Gendo will not put put the pilots at risk but he still is not above manipulating them and Shinji is the easiest.

Rei is more open and alive, she has Kensuke to thank for that. However, she still is the Ice Princess to outsiders. To her family and close friends she's warm and open, to outsiders and most of her classmates she's cold and distant, much like her canon self. Her relationship with Kensuke has not gone beyond making out as she is still quite innocent in some ways and Kensuke is scared shitless of Gendo and Section Two. At some point in the story that all will change as the boy does spend nights with Rei and he's the only male outside of Toji and now Shinji that she's close to.

The next chapter will deal with getting settled in, Kaji trying to cut Shinji's balls off and getting settled into high school. Misato's brilliant idea for her little sister and brother in law to make friends. Oh and Kensuke fucks up in a rather stupid way.


	2. Chapter 2 Remember The Days

Welcome To The Machine

Chapter Two

Shinji, Asuka and Misato made their way to the exit of the NERV complex. It seemed that at some point during the boy's brief stay in the hospital the older woman had moved her car to a location closer to this exit. As they walked Shinji felt a weight on his shoulders.

His sister's boyfriend had more or less demanded that he be taken into either NERV or Mithril to watch over Rei better. The kid was an otaku of the worst kind, Shinji could see that. Hell, even Asuka could see that and it worried the teen. This Aida kid is going to push the subject every chance he got and Shinji couldn't find a way to turn him off.

'Mithril is not going to be happy if I bring in another one' flashed through Shinji's mind. The more he thought about it the more down he felt. It was Asuka that noticed his sullen mood. Putting a hand on his shoulder she began to speak to him.

"What's wrong baka? You're not hurting from that fight are you?" she worriedly asked.

"No, not hurting," Shinji answered, "Thinking about that Aida kid. What's he's asking is not a good thing. He reminds me of my dad's best friend from school a guy named, believe it or not, Shinji too."

"Oh? Your dad actually had friends in school?" Asuka asked in a light tone.

"Yeah, it was for only a year or so but he and Kazama Shinji bonded over arm-slaves and weapons," Shinji began, "When the jet they were on was hi-jacked dad said the guy was crying for joy when they landed. Everyone thought it from fear but the guy was crying because he was looking at some very old hardware that he never thought he'd see."

"This Kensuke," the teen continued, "he's like Kazama-san only worse. Kazama-san was sobered up when mom and dad's school got shot up by a terrorist's AS and the girl he'd end up marrying, Kyoko-chan, was injured by a bomb. He still joined the JGSDF and later Mithril but mom said he had toned the otaku tendencies down quite a bit."

Asuka just nodded her head at this glimpse of her in laws past. Just as she was going to speak Shinji stopped in his tracks.

"Oh shit! I forgot to call them when we landed the other night," Shinji exclaimed.

"Who?" Papa and Mamma Kaname?" Asuka asked, thinking he had forgot to call her in laws.

"No, the Kazamas, they live in the area as well as a few more of mom's friends. They don't work for NERV though, most of them have contacts with Mithril in one way or another. Mom and dad made a big impession on them and Mithril was one of the few places one could find work after Second Impact," Shinji told her.

Shinji pulled out his cell phone and pressed a speed dial number. "Hello? Aunt Kyoko?"..."It's me, Shinji"..."I'm fine"..."She's fine too"..."I was just calling to tell you and uncle that we've been transferred to Tokyo Three"..."Not sure how long this assignment is but I'm sure we'll be here long enough for us to visit a few times"..."I'll call you when we get settled in"..."Is uncle there?"..."Oh, I see, well tell him I've a favor to ask later on"..."Okay, I have to go, mom said to say hi, so hi"..." Okay, love you too, bye" Shinji ended the call as Asuka and Misato looked at him.

"What?" he asked, looking at Asuka.

"And just what is this favor you're planning to ask your uncle," was all she said.

"I'm going to see if he can have a little talk with Kensuke," came the reply, "Uncle has been on both sides of the coin so to say and maybe he can keep the guy from doing something stupid."

By now the little group had reached the car and climbed in. Seeing how her passengers had strapped in Misato pulled on her driving gloves and sunglasses. Starting the Alpine Misato put in gear and slowly drove out of the parking structure which the teens noticed was on the surface.

Once Misato had turned onto the main road and just as the kids thought that she'd reformed her driving style, the woman pressed the accelerator to the floor boards and promptly broke a half dozen traffic laws. Shinji didn't have to worry about Kensuke Aida anymore, he just had to worry that he and Asuka made it to their new home intact.

After a harrowing ten minute drive in which Misato out ran two traffic cops, the Alpine slowed and stopped by a scenic over look. Stepping out of the car, Misato motioned to the teens to follow her. It was nearing sunset and the three had a spectacular view of the city, but in the distance opposite them Shinji could see the aftermath of his fight with the Angel.

Taking this moment to say something Misato began to speak, "Shinji, what you did was very brave and noble. You and Asuka helped save this city and the people that live here. You should be proud of what you two have done so far."

After Misato said those words sirens began to howl. Shinji tensed up and was ready to bolt to the car to. return to NERV and the EVAs. Misato put a hand on his arm and pointed back to the city. Buildings began to grow from the ground. It looked as if the city was blooming in the golden twilight.

The trio watched for a few minutes more, Shinji and Asuka stealing kisses from each other and Misato just watching over them. As it grew darker they returned to the Alpine and headed for home with a stop on the way.

As they entered Misato's apartment the teens dropped their AWOL bags and removed their shoes. Looking into the hallway Shinji knew he was right, the rest of their luggage as well as carefully packed boxes of electronics and computers were right there. Looking at his wife he fought the urge to tell her 'told you so'. The next thing he noticed was the smell of cooking.

Curiosity got the better of him and he was soon in the kitchen, face to face with Royoji Kaji, the man was not happy to see him. Turning the stove off the man removed his chef's apron and pointed at the young man.

"You! You little shit, doing those things in public with my little girl" Kaji began to yell, "If you weren't so damned important I'd kill you."

Taking a step forward he continued, " Since I can't kill you I'll do the next best thing, I'll beat you til your grand kids feel it!"

Shinji began to back away, sure he was a master of a few martial arts but he really didn't want to fight the man. He was still sore from the fight with the Angel. Now he was backing away and hoping he could talk the man down.

"Now Kaji-san," he began, "I don't think you want to do this. Besides, Asuka is my wife remember?"

"Only because you thought she was pregnant!" the spy roared, "Asuka is the closest to a daughter I have and you...you..."

"KAJI!" Misato yelled, "Stop this lunacy this instant. Shinji is Asuka's husband whether you like it or not."

The man looked at the woman and tried to find a way out of this mess. Misato wasn't having any of it, "If you remember right, it _was your idea_ of them dating when we were in Germany, _remember_?

Kaji looked down, Misato had him beat, "I remember. Shinji, I'm sorry, but you know what she means to me. Take good care of her okay?"

Shinji just smiled, "I remember Kaji-san, I remember. No bad feelings?" Shinji asked holding out his hand.

"No hard feelings," Kaji replied shaking the boys hand.

Just as he let go Kaji felt a pair of thin arms snake around him, "Kaji, it's so good to see you again. Please don't hurt Shinji, he takes good care of me and I love him deeply."

Royoji Kaji smiled at the girl and nodded his head that he would do as she asked. Looking at her he noticed that not only had she filled out quite nicely but she was in better physical condition than when she was living in Berlin. A part of the man was sad, long ago this girl that was hugging him had once held a crush for him.

It was sweet and innocent at the time and Kaji began to treat her like a little princess when they had 'daddy daughter' dates. Asuka saw in Kaji something that she didn't in her own father and now Kaji was sad that another man was in her life. So he had a heavy heart when he returned her hug kissing the top of her head. He really had nothing against Shinji, Asuka loved him with all her heart but at the same time she was no longer a little girl.

"I promise you Asuka, I'll never hurt Shinji as long as he treats you like he should," the man told her, "Now, let me look at you. You've grown and you're as pretty as always. I'm just sorry it wasn't me that walked you down the aisle."

Asuka looked down at that but she quickly recovered, "I'm sorry it wasn't you too, but, Mamma and aunt Heidi's favorite cousin did it in your place. He even had Heidi flown out as a surprise. When we get every thing unpacked I'll show you the video that was shot, okay?" Asuka asked showing a child like glee when she did.

"Sure little one, I'd love to see it," was Kaji's reply.

Dinner was served shortly after and then the teens took a more closer look at there new home. It was a bit larger than their place in the US, with a full kitchen, dining area and two bedrooms with a small study. Asuka noticed that one of the bedrooms was sparsely furnished and it had a very large futon, big enough to fit two with room to spare.

The study had twin desks and a book case. While small it was cozy but why did they need two desks? It wasn't like they were still in scho...fuck. Asuka stormed up to Misato who by now had changed and was on her sixth beer and began to growl.

"Misato, did you enroll us into the local high school by any chance?" she asked.

Misato sat in thought for a minute before she remembered, "I think I did. Kaji? Did I enroll the kids in school here?"

"Yes," the man called back from the kitchen where he and Shinji were cleaning up, "They start next week, this coming Monday, remember?"

"Oh, right, silly me, I forgot," Misato giggled before looking at Asuka, "Yes, I did, school starts in six days."

"Uh uh, forget it," Asuka said, "you seem to forget that Shinji and I have our degrees from a university, we're done with school."

At this point Misato was getting irritated with the girl, "Asuka, I put you in school for three reasons. Number one, so you'll make friends. Number two, so you and Shinji can watch over Rei and three..." the woman handed the girl a newspaper, "read that."

Asuka looked at the paper with it's kanji font and cried in frustration, "I can't read this chicken scratch!" throwing the paper back to Misato.

Smiling triumphantly Misato simply said, "I rest my case. Look, you're living in Japan and not everything is in romanji so it'll be easy to get lost while on the town not to say not knowing what something is priced at. So, Asuka, you and Shinji need this."

The girl sighed in defeat, "Fine, I would look stupid if I can't read the language my mother was raised with. Just make sure Shinji and I are together okay?"

"Already taken care of kiddo, why don't you get ready for bed, I bet a nice bath would feel nice," Misato said as she stood to get another beer.

Seeing that Shinji had unpacked everything and put things in their place Asuka grabbed a towell and walked into the bath as Misato had the feeling that she forgot something.

A couple minutes later Asuka began to scream as she ran into the living room stark naked, "What's wrong?" Shinji asked his wife as he ran out of their room, pistol drawn.

Asuka just kept frantically pointing over her shoulder and quickly said, "Misato 's got an ugly midget nun in her bathroom!"

Shinji just stood there trying to make sense of that statement, "Midget nun? Misato what the hell is she on about?"

About that time Shinji felt himself get poked in the ass with what felt like a dull ice pick. Looking down he saw a penguin with some kind of back pack and a collar the read "P2".

"Oh, how silly of me," Misato cried out, "I forgot to introduce you to Pen Pen he's your other roommate."

Asuka just gawked at the bird, her mouth opening and closing before finding the words, "A penguin is our roommate? Where does he sleep?"

Misato laughed at the girl's distress, "Not just a penguin dear, a warm water penguin."

Not satisfied Asuka began to growl, "Where. Does. He. SLEEP!" finally losing it.

"Oh, he sleeps in the fridge of course. Don't give me that look, he has his own compartment. He hardly ever goes near the food," Misato told the girl desperately trying to keep a straight face.

"What about Kaji?" Shinji asked.

"I have my own place even though I seem to spend all my time here though," the man said from the couch. At that point he noticed the girls state of dress or lack there of, "Ah, Asuka? Now you may be okay walking around naked in front of Shinji but could you put clothes on when I'm here?"

The girl was mortified as she realized that she had given Kaji the show of his life. With a strangled cry she fled to the bathroom, her skin as red as her hair.

Shinji rolled his eyes at his wife's antics before turning to follow her, "I better make sure she doesn't get into any more trouble. Kaji, thanks for cooking dinner and I'll see you soon, good night," and with that he turned to follow Asuka into the bath.

Eventually the evening came to an end as Kaji left and Pen Pen locked himself in his compartment. The man having his own agenda to follow regarding NERV and the bird deciding that his new roommate might not be the most stable of females he's run across. The teens were now settled in a new bed, in a new room.

As they snuggled up to each other the door slid open, Misato looked in on the pair and spoke up, "You two did a good job the other day, Shinji, I've very proud of you. Asuka, I know it was a very trying time and you handled it well. What you two are doing and will do along with Rei is going to be very hard but I have a lot of confidence in the three of you."

"I just want to say thanks," Misato told the pair, "Oh, rest up, we have to be at HQ in the morning for tests and other things by nine so sleep well."

As she slid the door closed she could hear the two mumble their good-nights. Satisfied Misato herself went to bed.

The next morning found Shinji and Asuka both in the kitchen making breakfast as Misato stumbled in half asleep. Seeing where she was headed Asuka was too late to head her off as the purple haired woman grabbed her first beer of the day. Letting out a loud cheer after the first deep drink Misato was in a much better mood.

"Something smells good this morning," Misato mentioned.

"It's just what I found in the fridge and cupboards," began Shinji, "By the way, did you not learn anything from me while we were all living in Berlin? This is all prepacked crap, MRE's have more taste and nutrition that this shit."

"But I like my instant stuff," the woman groused, "More time for beer and Kaji."

Asuka rolled her eyes and turned her attention to the eggs, "Witch, my god, you're just as bad as then if not worse."

Misato narrowed her eyes at the girl before realizing something, "Hey! Since when do you know how to cook?"

"Since Shinji and I started living together," came the reply, "He got a real bad case of the flu and had to stay in bed for almost two weeks. Someone had to cook and it was not going to be him," explained the girl.

"So, you do know more than one _wifely duty_ huh Asuka?" Misato teased.

Asuka refused to answer, she was not going to play Misato's game this early in her stay and let the woman's eggs cook a little longer hardening the yolks. Since they were the last eggs in the house Misato would have to eat them or do without. Two could play games as well as one.

Shinji just kept quiet, he'd gone through this before and like Asuka, thought that Misato should have grown up a little bit. Plating everyone's meal he placed the food on the table so they could eat and get going.

By ten-thirty Asuka had already pissed off Dr Akagi. During her physical she first insisted that Shinji be present since he was still her body guard and second she just didn't trust the woman, not after she'd nearly drowned Rei in a cocktail of drugs. That thought was still on her mind when Ritsuko asked her a question.

"I said what is this patch?" the frustrated woman asked knowing if she pissed off one or the other she could be seriously injured. Shinji was one thing but Asuka still had her temper and it seemed the have gotten worse over time.

"It's a birth control patch, duh," came the reply that got cattier as she went, "Hello, I'm fourteen and not ready for babies yet."

"Well, it needs to go, the compounds could interfere with the LCL while your in the plug," the Dr replied.

"Let me think about it," Asuka shot back, "Ummmm, NO!" The plug suit will keep it from the LCL or did you forget about that?"

"The plug suit does not keep your skin completely dry, you know that," the woman shot back, The patch goes, I'll write you a prescription for birth control pills instead, okay?"

"Like I'd take anything you'd prescribe Frau Mengele," came Asuka's insult, "Before I take something from you I'll find my own doctor thank you very much."

Looking towards the boy the doctor tried to get his help, "Shinji, please, can you tell your wife that she can trust what I give her?"

Shinji shook his head no, "Sorry doc, but after what I saw what you'd given my sister for birth control I don't trust you either."

"Listen you little shit, I'm the head of this project and you will do as I say! Understand?" the woman's patience finally breaking down.

"To tell you the truth _doctor_ , you aren't in any position to give us orders," Shinji said, "Any _suggestions_ you have must be routed through our immediate superior. Meaning you need to talk to Misato and even then we can refuse anything outside operating the EVAs."

"We did our homework before we even left the US regarding NERV," Shinji smirked, "Asuka's done here."

As it was Ritsuko called not only Misato but the commander as well only to be asked if she had forgotten Gendo's orders that she was no longer allowed to write medication prescriptions out to the pilots. The man had not forgotten what she'd done to Rei. Gendo figured that he would do what he could to protect his son and daughter in law, it wasn't much but it was all he could do considering what he was asking them to do until the Angels were defeated and he found a way to control Third Impact himself.

As far as he was concerned there were now other, better methods to control and manipulate the pilots. Even more so that they are all three in romantic relationships. A few doors may have closed but that didn't mean more didn't open and out of the three, Shinji and Rei were still the most vulnerable.

The rest of the week was sync test after sync test as well as weapons training in which the good doctor extracted her revenge. In more than one test the LCL had not been heated and the teens were almost frozen to death. On another the LCL was heated to uncomfortable levels, not enough to inflict burns but enough that it felt like it.

The tests also ran concurrent with lunch and therefore the pair were always too late to eat and had to continue while hungry. Misato noticed this and mentioned it to her friend. The reply was less than satisfying, the doctor giving no sign that she would shorten the test times so the kids could eat.

The last indignity was being fitted for the plug suits. Shinji needed to be fitted from the ground up, Asuka's suits just needed to be updated to accommodate her growth over the last three years. It was Shinji that was the most embarrassed. Having to stand nude in front of Doctor Akagi and her assistant Maya was bad enough. Hearing the comments made about his physique made it worse. When he tried to complain the doctor reminded him that this was directly tied to the operation of the EVA and therefore he had to follow orders. In other words, be quiet and suck it up.

Shinji decided that he'd had enough, just as they put their heads into their computer screens as the laser scanners began to sweep from his head down Shinji thought of his wife in one of her mini skirts and almost transparent tops. The physiological reaction was complete as the beams hit his lower torso. Maya noticed the anomaly on her computer and looked up at Shinji. Seeing the state of the young man nearly gave her a nosebleed.

Ritsuko noticed that Maya had gone silent and she too glanced up. Seeing Shinji's state the doctor made the remark, "Thinking of the wife?"

"No," came the reply, "I was thinking of what I'd like to do with you and your friend," Shinji finished with an evil smirk.

Maya nearly passed out at the comment and Ritsuko turned shades of red that Shinji thought impossible. Ritsuko concluded the scanning and all but thrown the boy out of the room. Misato got another angry phone call from her at this point nearly former best friend.

Friday found the trio in front of the Tokyo Three New Jindai high school. Asuka was still fighting the idea of going back to school, especially high school as she had a degree from a university. Shinji just shook his head and followed along. Part of him agreed with Asuka, the classes would be useless to him. However, he thought, he's never really been in a true classroom setting since being put in Mithril's training program.

He decided to voice his opinion, "Actually Asuka this is not a bad idea."

"What was that baka?" the young red head asked in a tone promising pain, "You like the idea of spending most of the day with children?"

"It's not that koi..." he began

"No! Don't you koi me Shinji Andreavich Sagara," Asuka yelled in return, "You don't get to koi me on this, I thought we agreed when we graduated, no. More. School!" to emphasize her anger the girl stamped her feet.

"Asuka," Shinji began, "if anyone here is acting like a child it's you. Knock it off or I withhold certain privileges, understand?" came the threat.

That statement set off two things, first the girl turned bright red at the thought of what she'd be denied. Second stopped throwing her tantrum. Now she followed Misato into the school's administrative building. Shinji brought up the rear as always watching for threats to her and himself. One of the things he picked up from his adopted father is a healthy dose of paranoia.

Just because things look safe doesn't mean it is. All he and Asuka had to do was remember their last day in Berlin and escape from Italy. Italy was the worst since they had to bypass a potential ambush and Berlin, he gets sick just thinking about what could've happened. So now he kept more aware of their surroundings and felt sorry for anyone stupid enough to try something with them.

Registering them was a trial in itself, the records sent via NERV listed Asuka as Langley Soryu not Sagara. No amount of threats and protests would move the petty bureaucrats in the school's office. Even producing their ID's failed to sway them. Finally the pair relented and allowed them to use Asuka's maiden name. For the girl it was traumatic as it reminded herself of a painful childhood after her mother died. Her father all but abandoning her to NERV for a woman half his age. 'At least she tried to be nice to me', thought the girl.

Asuka and Shinji left the office with orders from Misato to find a certain shop in a nearby mall and get their school uniforms. Leaving their 'guardian' to finish up the paper work the two went on their way, Asuka complaining the whole while.

"Ach, uniforms Shinji," she moaned, "I haven't worn a uniform since I went to Our Lady of Pain and Suffering. That Catholic uniform was...oh no, I am not wearing one for your sick pleasure Shinji Sagara. Not no, but hell no," Asuka exclaimed after she saw the look on her companions face.

"Are you sure? You know that we could find some cool outfits for you for a little role play," Shinji told her.

"NO! I have my reasons," she shot back.

Shinji was curious, "And what reasons would they be?"

"You made me go back to school," Asuka whined, "and you know how much I hated dealing with kids our age."

And so it went for the rest of the day and into the weekend. Shinji had convinced Asuka that school was a good idea since they'd eventually get bored staying at home and the only other place the would be able to hang out at was NERV HQ. When he put it that way she realized that her husband was right. School was the better alternative than sitting around and being a guinea pig for 'Frau Mengele', her pet name for Dr Akagi after learning from Rei before they left for Japan what the woman had been giving her for so many years Asuka vowed never to trust the woman.

Misato agreed and took Asuka to the OB clinic at NERV's medical center. It was the same place that treated Rei and Asuka found the staff kind and caring, unlike the cold and clinical approach of the good doctor. In fact after the first couple of visits she no longer needed Shinji to be in the room with her, much to the boy's relief. Shinji loved his wife, but there were some things he felt he didn't need to know.

After a busy weekend, and one where they took advantage of as Misato was out of town and Kaji was doing Kaji things. It was a needed time too, sex was an important part of their relationship and their sex life had been dormant for nearly a week. It was Asuka that needed the closeness and release most.

She'd been wound tight since Shinji was reported dead in Unit 01 and they'd been too tired or occupied to make love. Having Misato in the next room was another mood killer so they took the time they were given and put it to good use.

Monday found the pair fixing breakfast with Shinji preparing the bento meals for lunch. Misato came out as the eggs were finished and took the beer Shinji offered. She was going to drink anyway and it's not worth fighting her was his thought.

"You know," Misato began, "weapons are frowned upon on school grounds here. What do you plan to do while at school?"

"We plan on keeping them with us we are allowed via our standing as NERV Pilots and my duty as Asuka's bodyguard," Shinji explained.

"Besides, the uniforms conceal our pistols and we have our machine pistols in our packs," Asuka chimed in.

"Yeah, about those," Misato answered, "isn't that a little overkill?"

"Dad always said you can never have too much ammo and too many guns," Shinji nonchalantly stated.

"Didn't papa also say you never want too many enemies too?" asked Asuka.

"No, uncle Kurz said that remember?" Shinji answered as the two got into their own little world shutting out Misato.

Suddenly Shinji looked up at the woman, "Does NERV have anything planned for us after school today?" he asked her.

"No, why?" Misato answered curious as to what they were planning.

"Good, mom let us know our bikes and other items are due at Gifu this morning. Asuka and I are heading there to have the household goods in storage and take the bikes with us," looking at his wife Shinji continued, "We'll pick up the car after school tomorrow?"

Asuka nodded and was about to reply when Misato interrupted, "Whoa, whoa, whoa! Bikes? And a car? How the hell did you get those into the country?"

"Mithril shipped them on one of their C-17's of course," Shinji told her.

"And just what do you think you need those for?" the woman demanded.

"You don't think we'd walk or take the train and bus every where did you? Geez Misato, give us some credit. Anyways, the commander said our ID's functioned as a drivers license so we're riding our bikes to school after today," Asuka answered the woman before standing to hand Shinji his lunch and pack.

It was time to leave for school and the pair said their goodbyes and left the woman to her food and beer. Misato was speechless, she thought of them as her kids. Kaname even asked her to watch over the boy and they were more adult that she was in many ways. Sighing she thought to herself, 'Maybe it is a good thing I don't know what NERV was planning to do to Asuka.'

Arriving at school with time to spare the two went to the school's office as instructed. Shinji, who attended Japanese style schools growing up had an idea of what came next. Meet with the class rep who will take them to their home room and introduce them to the class. To Asuka it was pointless, Shinji just went with the flow.

After a short wait a girl about Asuka's height approached them. She had deep brown eyes and glossy black hair pulled into two pony tails as well as a light splash of freckles across her nose. While she had a slight build, Shinji noted that her bust was a lot smaller than Asuka's, she held an air of authority.

"You are Asuka Langley Soryu and Shinji Sagara?" she asked.

Asuka snorted, "Close, it's Asuka Soryu-Sagara. The damn paper pushers in this place refuse to accept my proper name."

Shinji just face palmed, "I'm Sagara Shinji and technically yes that's Asuka Soryu."

"Technically? I don't understand," came the girls confused reply.

"Long story, trust me, I'm sure she'll happily fill you in, and you are?" Shinji said trying to defuse his wife.

"I'm your class rep, Horaki Hikari. I'm pleased to meet the two of you, if you would follow me class is about to start.

The pair fell into step with the new girl and soon found themselves in front of class 2A. They were told to wait outside and were left to wait making Asuka frown and Shinji to sigh. As any soldier, no matter his age he hated hurrying up to wait. Shinji noticed the door was not all the way closed so he and Asuka moved to listen in.

"Okay that's the roll call all done, I have some news for you all this morning," said a female voice, most likely the teachers, "We have two new students joining us today so if Hikari-chan will get them, we'll get started.

Hikari opened the door and the new students walked into the room hand in hand. When asked to sign their names on the chalk board the boy signed his in both kanji and romanji, Shinji Onodera Andreavich Sagara. The girl signed hers in only romanji, Asuka Eloise Wilhelmina Soryu-Sagara. That got a stir from the class as the girls noticed the rings the pair wore on their left ring fingers. The boys however were glaring at Shinji for claiming this goddess before they had a chance.

Soon questions were being shouted and the pair tried to answer them the best they could. The first was if they were brother and sister since they shared the same name, this came from one boy that had not given up yet. Asuka broke the news that they were in fact married. More questions then flew.

"Where are you two from?" came one.

"Berlin, Germany and California," came Asuka's reply.

Shinji's was a little longer, "I was born in Tokyo Two and then went to live and go to school in Kyoto until I was six. I was then raised in the South Pacific islands before spending time in Helmajistan, Thailand, Belize, Germany and the US."

Eri Kagurazaka had been a teacher in Old Tokyo and had once heard a similar introduction...

 _Flashback, Tokyo Jindai High School Spring 1998_

 _"My name is Sagara Sousuke," the new student stated as if in an interrogation._

 _"Where did you live before coming to Tokyo?" one of the girls, Shiori, asked._

 _"Many places," the boy answered while standing at attention, "Helmajistan, Cambodia, Thailand, Lebanon, Belize and Columbia," the boy answered stunning the class into silence._

 _The teachers first impression is that he had an active imagination, didn't he just begin to introduce himself as a sergeant? Well...he did have that 'toy' gun she had taken from him when he entered the school grounds, so just who is this kid?_

 _Flashback Ends..._

"Did you say Sagara?" the teacher asked her new male student, seeing the boy nod she continued, "As in Sousuke 'Sgt Sabotage' Sagara?"

At this the boy smiled, "He's my dad, mom told me what he did in school when they met. He's gotten better over the years though."

Calling the boy over to her desk the teacher leaned in and whispered, _"Let me see, you're his son and you're in the same organization that he was in, am I right so far?"_

Seeing Shinji nod she continued, _"That girl is your charge and since you are his son, you're carrying at least one firearm. Am I still on the right track?"_ another nod, _"Good, now, I don't care anymore. In fact you can blow up the school and I won't care. And do you know why?"_

Shinji just shook his head _, "Because you know and I know that your masters will pay for the damage and give more money to keep you here. Nothing you do will ever top the crap your dad did, understand?"_

Shinji just nodded and went back to Asuka, turning to his new teacher he asked, "Are you by chance Eri Kagurazaka?"

The teacher nodded and the boy continued, "Mom and dad speak highly of you, mom even says that she tries to use your teaching style in her classes."

"Your mom knows me? Who did Sgt Sabotage marry anyway?" the woman asked.

"Kaname Chidori, she's a substitute teacher where I was raised," Shinji informed her.

At this point Eri groaned, that explained why her favorite pupil and class rep of that year vanished without a trace. She then told the class one more question and then Hikari can find them their seats.

Asuka looked out at the sea of hands and picked one out, "You there, what do you want to know?"

The girl stood up and looked a little nervous, "Are you or your hus...husband the pilot of that giant robot that fought that thing the other day?"

Asuka and Shinji prepared to deny a voice from the back rang out, "If they were don't you think I'd know about it?" Kensuke said as he allowed a smirk to adorn his face.

As his mania for all things military was well known in the class his statement was taken at face value. That satisfied all but one member of the classroom. As Shinji and Asuka were taking their seats Shinji noticed a young man in a track suit glowering at them. Shinji made a mental note to watch that particular kid for any hostile actions.

Unknown to Shinji that was to be sooner than later as his sister's boyfriend let slip to the boy that Shinji was in fact the pilot of the giant robot. Toji was infuriated, the bastard that hurt his sister was sitting not five feet away from him. Well, it was not his place to question this opportunity to avenge his little sister.

As the pair sat down they saw the track suit wearing kid walk up to them. Hikari ran up to stop him but he pushed on through. Stopping in front of Shinji he gave a tight smile.

"Hey, new kid," he began, "I want to talk to ya at lunch, a kind of welcome if you like."

Shinji looked past the kid, noticing his teacher mouthing the words 'no guns'. Turning his attention to the teen in front of him Shinji just nodded and went about settling in.

Satisfied, Toji walked back to his seat and the class began. Unlike the classes in middle school Eri was determined to educate her students, even Toji Suzuhara, unlike those fossils in middle school that droned on about the times before Second Impact. Now back to Toji, he reminded her of another hard headed student, Ono-D, who was a friend of Shinji's father. Kensuke also reminded her of another student, another kid named Shinji. Asuka, the woman noted was a lot like Kaname Chidori but Shinji, Shinji seemed to be in more control that his father. Eri only hoped that what ever Toji was planning would not end in a blood bath.

At lunch Shinji and Asuka were enjoying a little quiet time when a couple of shadows fell over them. Looking up they saw it was the guy that had talked to Shinji with a very nervous Kensuke behind and to the side.

Asuka spoke first, "What's up Kensuke? Everything alright with Rei?"

Kensuke however wore a serious look on his face as he turned to glance at his best friend, "Guy's, I'm sorry but I might have let slip to Toji you were the pilot," he explained.

"And why for god's sake would you do that stooge?" was Asuka's angry question.

Kensuke for his part looked ashamed and fixed his eyes on the young female pilot, "His sister was injured in that attack and Toji was going on about how he would teach the pilot a lesson if he found who it was," he then turned his attention to Shinji, "Captain, I was trying to make him see reason and that you weren't reckless like he was making you out. I didn't mean to blow your cover honestly I wasn't."

Hearing this Shinji looked up, Kensuke's expression told him all he needed to know, the guy was sorry and was worried that they'd do something about him seeing Rei. Sighing Shinji looked first to his wife who looks like she was ready to beat the guy and back to Kensuke.

"Nothing can be done now anyway, this guy must be a good friend for you to put our trust in you to the test already," he told the boy.

Turning his attention to Toji he asked, " A problem with my wife Mr.?"

"It's Suzuhara, Toji Suzuhara, and I think this Red Devil needs to apologize to my friend here."

Asuka was about to jump up but Shinji held her, "No, no she doesn't. Your friend here revealed a tight secret putting not only her but myself in danger. I've already decided not to have NERV security take him in for _questioning_ but Asuka was in the right.

"Then we have a problem then," Toji replied, "Stand up."

Asuka now had a worried look on her face, "And what if a punch or two is not enough? Then what?"

"Then he finds out that Sagara Sousuke is not the only one schoolyard bullies should fear," the young man declared.

Shinji stood, he'd seen and encountered school yard bullies in the past and had no problem defending himself, "So...how do you want to do thi..."SMACK!

The punch came out of nowhere as Shinji felt his nose break. Falling to his knees the boy saw the sneaker enclosed foot traveling towards his head as Toji went in for another cheap shot. Before Asuka or Kensuke could react the blow connected and threw Shinji back a couple of feet, just enough for his to gather his wits and assess his situation.

Hearing a curse in German he looked at his wife as she drew her P226 from her waist, "Asuka! Stand down! No guns!," he yelled before she could do something stupid, "DO IT...NOW!"

As he stood he watched first Asuka lower her weapon and then saw Toji stop as he fixed his eyes on the pistol pointed at his head. Shinji took the opportunity to stand and take his stance.

He then yelled at the jock, "What the fuck is your problem dude? This how you greet the new comers to this fucked up school?"

"No," Toji answered, "It's because you and that robot hurt my sister the other day. Now stand up so I can kick your ass you prick!"

At this Kensuke yelled at his friend, "Toji, Sakura told you to forget it. She keeps telling you that she was saved by that thing, it was the angel that hurt her not Shinji!"

"BULLSHIT! WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED OUT THERE?" Toji yelled in return before looking at Shinji, "YOU...YOU'RE THE ONE THAT HURT HER, I WAS THERE, I SAW THE FIGHT!"

At this Shinji just glared at the kid, "If you were there then why the fuck did you ignore the evac order? I know it went out more than an hour before I was launched. Some fucking big brother you are, you might as well as left her in the street," came the taunt.

With a yell Toji lost it and charged his opponent. Raising his right hand Toji made to hit Shinji in the face once more but at the last minute the merc dodged and caught the taller boys fist in his right hand as his left came up to slam against Toji's elbow.

Toji felt more than heard the pop his elbow made as it dislocated, the sharp pain searing up his arm. As he turned Shinji pivoted on his left foot bringing his right in a back kick to the small of Toji's back causing the teen to stumble forwards as he felt his legs and hips go numb as another jolt of pain flooded his small brain.

The final move was when Shinji, who had never released Toji's arm, shifted the grip of his right hand to Toji's upper arm as his left arm snaked around the boys neck and began to squeeze.

Shinji than place his lips against Toji's ear and scolded him one last time, "The order went out to leave that area and you ignored it and stayed. I didn't put your sister in harm's way, you did. I read the after action reports and they said that you refused the orders of the evacuation personnel."

"I...we..we were waiting for our father," Toji hissed out in pain as spots of darkness began to float in his vision.

"Did it cross that small mind that he was in a shelter where he worked and could not get to you?" Shinji asked and he increased the pressure, "You're in high school, almost an adult and you have to wait for daddy to tell you what to do?"

"_" Toji had nothing to say as his vision began to swim more violently.

"Listen to me, I was going to take a shot or two to make you feel better but you had to cheap shot me,"Shinji told him, "To me and Asuka that's game on and I don't like to lose. You can apologize when you wake up, nighty night."

With that Shinji applied the pressure needed to knock Toji out. As he stood he looked over to see the class rep marching over.

Hikari looked shocked she viewed the aftermath of the fight, "Oh, I'm very sorry Sagara-san please forgive my hot headed boyfriend."

"Nah, it's all good, no damage done," Shinji said waving off the apology, turning to his sisters boyfriend he gave out a curt order, "Kensuke, take him to the nurses office and make sure he won't die on us," he than turned back to the class rep and gave her a small smile.

"I see, well Toji sometimes acts..." Hikari began to say before Asuka made herself known.

"Like a stooge?"the girl chimed in, "I swear if Shinji was a shy pervert he'd make the set complete."

"What set?" Hikari asked.

"The Three Stooges of course," Asuka answered with a laugh, "So you're his girlfriend huh?"

Hikari nodded shyly as Asuka moved in for the kill, "How's he in the sack?"

"What!?" Hikari yelled, she'd never been asked that before in all her life and it was no one's business anyway, not that they even did things like that.

Asuka would not let it go, her time with the girls in California made her a more than a little outspoken, "You know, he has to be a good lover since he has the brains of a chimp."

Seeing the class rep turn red Shinji decided to step in, "Asuka, leave her be. It's not your business what they do."

Just as Asuka was to reply the bell rang calling the students back to class. As Shinji passed the class rep the girl mouthed a 'thank you' to him for calling off Asuka. Asuka just looked at her and smiled. The red head had already decided, if she had to make friends with someone it would be Hikari. She seemed like fun to tease.

The afternoon went by quickly as it was subjects the two had mastered before attending university. As soon as the last class ended the pair left the school grounds. Still holding hands as they stood at the main entrance the pair made small talk with several of their classmates that were waiting for others or a ride home.

Asuka had pulled out her cell phone and got hold of the lead S2 agent from their protection detail, "Hello? Agent Smith?"...Shinji-kun and I need a favor"..."Our bikes and car arrived today and we need a lift to Gifu Air Base"...You will? Thanks a lot see you in two, bye bye."

As the pair waited they continued to talk to their new friends. It seemed that although the marriage age was also thirteen to fourteen, very few took advantage. Japan was hidebound in tradition and so the Sagara's were the sole married couple on campus. They were also the new stars of the school's idol system.

Everyone wanted to know them, first because they were transfer students, and second, they were married. And that was what everyone wanted to know, what's it like to be married. Of course this made Asuka shine. While the girl was not how she could have been she did have an ego and it was times like these that stroked it until she was almost purring.

Shinji was not happy as he was fielding questions relating to his wife's hair and how many times they 'did it'. Not only that the guys wanted to know how he had learned the moves that took Toji down in a matter of seconds. That was a subject he could spend hours talking about as hand to hand combat was one of his favorite hobbies and he used it to distract the other guys from their questions regarding him and Asuka. He'd be damned if these guys knew what his sex life was like, well, maybe if they got lucky and he and Asuka were outside playing their games.

Just as Shinji was about to lose his temper and hit one of these guys a black SUV rolled up and an S2 agent stepped out and opened the rear doors. Asuka told the girls that Shinji's family were very important in the business community and one of his uncles had sent the vehicle for their ride home. The way she said it however made it seem like Shinji and her were from a Yakuza clan or something.

" Mr Sagara, your ride as requested sir," the black suited agent quietly said.

Hearing that Shinji took Asuka's hand and led her to the waiting vehicle. Seeing the lead agent he smiled and spoke up, "Agent Smith," the boy began, as he was as much of a fan of The Matrix as Asuka he had taken up calling the nameless man by that moniker. Unlike Asuka, Shinji was also a fan of cyberpunk role playing games and he called the others Mr Johnson but Agent Smith was reserved for one man and one man only.

"Shinji," the man answered, "I hear your first day in school was...eventful."

"You could say that," he replied, "I take it that my instructions to leave Mr Suzuhara alone were followed?"

"To the letter, of course Misato and Kaji were notified of the incident," the man informed the teen.

"Very good," was all Shinji said as he leaned back.

Asuka how ever looked at the man, "As you know, Kensuke Aida let the cat out of the bag to that stooge and the whole school may or may not know depending what he says to the other students. If he talks, well, that means by the morning most of Tokyo Three will know. What are the plans for our as well as Rei's security now?" she asked.

"Misato has ordered additional agents to shadow and watch over you three for the time being. Having said that my dear young lady," the man continued with a tight smile that hinted at mischief, "I expect you two not to get into any compromising situations until I tell you the outsiders are gone."

Hearing his tone and understanding what he meant, Asuka was embarrassed enough to blush deeply, "Thank you for your warning," she said softly, "beyond what Shinji told him what is to be done with Rei's stooge?"

"One of my men will have a talk with him when he visit's Ayanami-san tonight," was the man's answer, "however, I think that Shinji's words and tone had a lot of impact."

"Good, maybe when he's spoken to by one of you he'll understand the trouble he's caused everyone, including his girlfriend," Asuka said in reply, "Just to make sure, have one of your men speak to miss Horaki and her idiot Suzuhara. We can't be too careful after what happened in Europe and the US."

"I already have someone at the school to talk to them when he wakes up," the man told her before turning to Shinji and shaking his head, "Son, that sleeper hold did a number on your new friend. He was still out when we picked you up."

Shinji just shrugged his shoulders and went back to looking at the countryside of a nation he never thought he'd see again.

After that silence descended as the teens took in the sights as they traveled south to the Gifu JASDF airfield to pick up their bikes and make arrangements to have the rest sent to the apartment of storage.

The trip took a little under an hour and once there the kids set about their task. The bikes were looked over and filled up with gas that Smith had brought along in the SUV. It took less than an hour to sort out their things, sending their bed, dressers and night stands to their home and the rest to a Mithril facility for storage.

Once they signed for everything Shinji turned to Smith and asked, "They won't hold the car until tomorrow, so we can't leave it here and the Globemaster is tasked to Europe so they can't take it to my folks. I hate to ask but could you drive this home for us?"

The man's eyes lit up, saying yes in a heart beat. Shortly after Shinji's promotion to Capt the teens had traded their cheap sedan for a vintage 1993 Mitsubishi Eclipse. The car had a two point two liter engine that was equipped with a supercharger and a five speed transmission. Shinji was okay with it but it was Asuka that would push the car to it's limit. She one day came home with a huge grin on her face and several scared friends. Shinji had asked what was up and it was then she told him she broke the speedometer. Shinji was dumbstruck, that thing went to one forty-five.

As he was talking to her their security detail rolled up. The agent in charge that day informed the boy the CHP had clocked her on radar hitting one hundred and fifty miles per hour on one of the clear stretches of California State highway fifty-eight coming home from Las Vegas. Shinji had stayed home after Asuka told him it was a girls only trip and that the detail was going along. Had he known she was going to drive like that he would said no, but he could never deny her very much so he let her go.

Now, the agent was going to get a chance to drive that car. As a young man his first auto was one just like this but while his was black with red accents, Shinji's was deep red and Asuka asked that royal blue cheat lines on the sides be added. Asuka loved the car but she had her bike and she let no one ride that.

So once that was settled the small convoy left the base and headed for home. The only vehicle to keep up with the bikes was the Eclipse and it was a gleeful S2 agent at the wheel reliving his youth with a scared shitless younger associate hanging onto the Jesus grip.

As the weeks passed things became routine, school, tests and training. Rei had been released from the hospital the third week after the pairs arrival and she was talking to Kensuke again. Once she had found out about what he had told Toji she refused to see or talk to him.

It was Shinji that convinced his sister to give the guy another chance. Even though Shinji was still worried about the guy and his speaking out of place, he felt that the boy had suffered enough. That did not mean he had regained the trust of Shinji and his family but at least Rei forgiven him more or less and they were once again inseparable. The main reason Kensuke was miserable was that during their separation more than a couple guys began to ask the girl out on dates.

The first time he heard someone ask her out he wasn't worried, that was until she said yes and went out on a double date with her brother and sister in law. Kensuke didn't come to school the following Monday and Tuesday and was worryingly quiet the rest of the week. Shinji had an agent watch over the guy until he was sure he wouldn't do anything to himself.

As it was it was Rei who was ready to take him back even before her brother talked to her. The reason was simple, Kensuke was hers and the few dates she went on reinforced that feeling. The problem was that because Kensuke had been dating Rei the other girls began to notice him and when word went out that Rei had dumped him a couple of them began to plot.

As soon as Kensuke began to feel better the girls struck. The boy had no free time as it was one date after another as different girls asked him out vying to be the one. Kensuke liked the attention but he really missed Rei so when she told him to meet her at her place to talk he was hopeful. After a third long talk about what he had done wrong they made up. Rei told him that the guys she went out with were boring and not as fun as he was.

Kensuke told Rei that the girls that were chasing him were too loud and too forward. Not that he minded but they all lacked Rei's quiet beauty and grace. He wanted peaceful evenings and when he went out, a date that would not kill his bank account. The other girls were everything Rei was not and Kensuke couldn't be happy without Rei.

Now as things returned to more or less normal Shinji began to contemplate Kensuke's earlier request. Considering that he let out a secret to someone not in the loop while trying to prevent a fight showed his heart was in the right place if his brain was not. However he had made a bad impression on the ones that would both recommend and then train him. Sighing he turned his attention to Toji.

The jock had told him over and over how sorry he was for starting the fight and accusing him of being the cause of his sisters injuries. Shinji somehow found himself spending more time with these two than the other guys in class. He knew it was because of Asuka and Rei that he was hanging with these guys. Kensuke because of Rei and Toji because of Hikari and Hikari was Asuka's new friend.

For some reason Asuka took a liking to Hikari and Asuka being Asuka dragged Rei along and the three soon became very close. Rei however was still closed off to those outside her very small circle. The girls that asked her Kensuke out she was very cold to, living up to her name Ice Princess. To the others she was reserved as always showing very little emotion and speaking in her soft almost monotone voice.

So on the fifth week since their arrival Shinji, Asuka and friends were enjoying a quiet lunch. As they all took their seats to begin the afternoon classes three cell phones began to ring. Kagurazaka-sensie began to chide the three for having their phones on against her class rules and school policy. Just as she started the three pilots stood as one with Shinji giving orders to Asuka and Rei.

Looking at his wife Shinji began to speak, "Asuka, tell Section two that we'll take our bikes and Rei will ride in the SUV. Rei, go, now, Smith will be waiting by the time you hit the entrance. Asuka, get my bike started but wait for me, move," as he gave his orders the class sat in awe.

Shinji was almost as quiet as Rei and unlike his sister he presented an air of authority. Walking to his sensie's desk he turned his attention to her, "Sensie, there is a situation. Alert the office to take everyone to the shelters now, the warnings will go out about ten minutes after Asuka and I leave," hearing that, Eri Kagurazaka nodded and stood up.

Eri had gotten to know her new students very well after they had settled in and found Shinji a mix of his adopted mother and father. So following his orders was easy. Shinji turned to look at Hikari next.

"Hikari, take the class to the shelters, everyone," he ordered looking at Kensuke, "NERV security, the police and military have orders to arrest anyone outside of the shelters on sight."

Turning to the class he gave them one last look, "Follow the instructions of the class rep and our sensie. Asuka, Rei and I will make sure to explain later if we are allowed." With that he was out the door followed by a chorus of good lucks.

Upon arrival at NERV the pilots were taken to two locations, Shinji to the locker rooms to get into his plug suit and the girls to the command deck. As Shinji was being locked into his EVA the first visuals had been received. Rei was looking at the large screen with interest as this was the first angel she'd seen.

"It's strange, I feel as if I've seen something like that before but I don't remember where," the girl said to Asuka unaware her mic was open and Shinji could hear them talk.

Asuka looked at the angel for a little longer and then smirked, "I've seen something like this too but I remember when."

Misato, who was not paying attention until now spoke next, "Oh really Asuka? When was tha..." the last word dying off as she now saw the screen and the angel.

"Oh this morning, when I was in bed," the girl was sporting a huge grin as Shinji felt a headache coming on,"That thing looks like a giant dick."

Hearing that Shinji growled into his mic, "Rei, when this is over Kensuke is a dead man."

TBC


	3. Chapter 3 Remote Control

**A/N Sorry I'm late, I've had a lot on my plate in the real world to deal with. Last week the kid next door hung himself playing a stupid game where the objective is to see how long you last before you either chicken out or black out at least that's what his family is saying. Sadly he lost and game or not, I still consider it a suicide. I had to deal with a very pregnant daughter that evening as she saw him before his family cut him down. Having to deal with this I want to say to anyone thinking about playing this stupid game, Is it really worth your life if you lose? Think about who you'll hurt if you do lose this foolish game, you effect more in your life than you'll ever know.  
**

 **On the plus side, my newest grandson was born last Friday and is healthy and happy. His brother however thinks he's been replaced. As his grandfather I did all I could to help him understand that yes, he's been replaced and the gypsies will be picking him up on Tuesday.**

 **For those that are following this from the beginning please reread chapter two as it has been redone. I was not happy with how Kensuke let the cat out of the bag and how the fight and lecture to Toji went. The new edit I feel is much better but Kensuke still screws the pooch as far as Shinji is concerned.**

 ** _Welcome To The Machine_**

 ** _Chapter Three_**

 ** _Remote Control_**

 ** _Danger Will Robinson, There is a lemon in this chapter._**

Rei was looking at the large screen with interest as this was the first angel she'd seen.

"It's strange, I feel as if I've seen something like that before but I don't remember where," the girl said to Asuka unaware her mic was open and Shinji could hear them talk.

Asuka looked at the angel for a little longer and then smirked, "I've seen something like this too but I remember when."

Misato, who was not paying attention until now spoke next, "Oh really Asuka? When was tha..." the last word dying off as she now saw the screen and the angel.

"Oh this morning, when I was in bed," the girl was sporting a huge grin as Shinji felt a headache coming on,"That thing looks like a giant dick."

Hearing that Shinji growled into his mic, "Rei, when this is over Kensuke is a dead man."

 _Flashback One Hour Prior to the current events_

Shinji, having given orders to his teacher and class rep, dashed out the door and ran to where Asuka was waiting for him by their now started bikes. Both carried a spare key to the other machine so as to get it warmed up for the others partner. Jumping on they rode through the now clearing streets of Tokyo Three as fast as the could. Topping out at one-twenty the pair roared down the avenue leading up to NERV HQ.

Once there they were met at the top by some of their S2 detail as well as Misato and taken to Central Dogma. On the way Shinji was getting briefed on what was known by their NERV officer in charge.

"It made feet dry about fifteen minutes ago and is moving around twenty-five to thirty-five miles per hour. I should reach our planned combat area in a little under two hours," Misato told the teen as she handed him a folder.

Looking at the projected course of the angel Shinji began to ask his own questions, "Okay, we know course and speed. What about it's offensive and defensive capabilities and what it looks like?"

"Nothing so far as to what it looks like, we should have a visual in about an hour," Misato replied.

"And offense, defense?" Shinji pressed, it was his ass on the line not hers so he wanted to know all he could.

"Other than it's AT field when a missile battery fired at it nothing overt," came the reply from one of the bridge crew, Shigeru, he recalled.

Shinji nodded, "I see, then please tell me that you have some kind of weapon available for me this time?"

Misato gave the young man a wide grin, "You'll love what we have for you, but the big ones are a surprise. Let's just say everything you've used in the simulations are now ready."

"Fine, but at least tell me if I have any on board systems?" Shinji asked growing impatient with Misato's childishness.

Shigeru spoke up sensing the teen's tenseness, " A mono-molecular edged knife has been fitted in each shoulder pauldron," he informed the kid.

Looking at the man Shinji asked, "Just tell me it's not like that damn hobby knife looking thing in the sims," as he remembered the stupid design.

Okay for cutting and a slashing attack, that blade was scored into segments to allow a fresh edge as the dull one was snapped off. That feature was what made it useless as a thrusting or stabbing weapon. A good hit at a bad angle and the blade would snap at the worst location.

"No," Shigeru continued, "The design was taken from the anti-tank dagger you've used in your M9 arm slave."

Shinji smiled at that, it was a weapon that he'd been trained to exhaustion by his father in. Sousuke Sagara believed in the ATD, it had served him well as a child soldier and in his most spectacular move he had hit a Hind gunship on the fly with one.

He and the SRT leader Belfangan Clouseau would drill the then ten year old Shinji up to four hours a day in hand to hand combat. One day a teary eyed Shinji asked his mother Kaname why he had to go through all of those beatings.

 _Flashback, Ten Years Sagara Household_

Shinji was crying, simply put he hurt, not hurt but ached to his core. His dad had once again beat him badly in hand to hand combat. That would not be so bad but today a new element was added. Knives, not any knife, the ones they were using had a blade that was of a porous rubber material, like a stamp pad. It was soaked with a water based red paint to show where an opponent had hit in combat and the child's M9 was a mass of red slash marks.

Now as he stood in the kitchen he was crying to his mother, telling her that he can't understand why his dad hated him so much.

Her answer was simply, "One day, when you have nothing but a blade, heart and training you'll understand."

"But why?" he asked, tears still falling.

"Because I love you," came the deep voice behind him, " and because I love you I will hurt you so you will live in a real fight."

Shinji still didn't understand the words but he did understand the hug the man gave him. As later sessions went on and Shinji talked to those that knew his father well the boy began to understand and began to take the training very seriously. He finally knew what Sousuke had meant, he wanted his son to come home after every battle.

 _End Flashbacks_

Now as Shinji sat in his plug and thankfully in a plug suit, he began to plot a certain glasses wearing classmates demise. He had to do something as he was getting bored just sitting and waiting, his encounter with Gendo while in the command center had not gone well as the man refused his and Asuka's question why unit 02 had not been sent for. The man's reply of "I make those decisions, not the pilots," had angered both but unlike Asuka he held his tongue.

It took him precious minutes to calm his young wife and the fact that he let her help him into his plug suit as well as some pre-battle fooling around, didn't calm her much. As he sat in his EVA another teen was just as bored sitting in a shelter.

Kensuke was trying to get anything he could on the emergency outside. He was feeling bad that he had spilled the secret of Shinji and Asuka's jobs as pilots. He also wanted to see the EVA in action, it was his dream as an otaku. It was then he decided to ask Toji to help him escape.

After giving in to the pestering Toji stood and walked over to his girlfriend, "Hikari, Kenny and I have to take a leak."

Making a face Hikari looked at the two, "Gawd Toji, why didn't you two go before?"

"Ah, come on babe, my teeth are floating," the teen said as he held his crotch.

"Fine go on but be quick about it," she sighed at her boyfriends lack of tact.

Now the two were running up a mountainside to get a ring side seat of the coming fight. Off in the distance a large figure was lazily floating towards the NERV complex, when Kensuke managed to get it in his camera's view finder he was shocked.

To him the angel was heading straight for him and it looked like a squid but with bony leg structures underneath. The legs looked too small to support the monster but one never could be sure. As frightening as it was it was also exciting to Kensuke. Toji however had other thoughts and exciting was not one of them.

He had seen the first angel and witnessed the damage it dealt. After he cooled down he realized that he owed Shinji more than an apology for trying to fight him, Shinji had saved him and his sister from certain death at the hands of the angel. Now he was going to see his new friend fight again and he wasn't sure how he felt.

Meanwhile Shinji sat and waited, just as he began to fall asleep he heard and felt 01 move into position. As the final calls echoed in his ears Asuka opened a channel to him.

"Love, we're sending you up this time off to the side instead of head on," as she said that she shot an accusing look at Misato, "when you get to the surface you're weapon will be in the locker to your right, understand?"

Shinji nodded and repeated the information as Asuka continued, "We don't know what it's capable of so fire a short burst and move. I know you've done this lot's of times in your AS but I want to make sure you come home to me when this is over, understand?"

"I understand, koi, I'll come home to you, I promise," he told the girl in the hologram.

"Silly baka. Don't make promises you can't keep," Asuka told him in a ritual that only they understood before lowering her voice, "Shinji, I love you, remember what we talked about."

Shinji understood and remembered, when they had a couple more pilots Asuka would take time off and have their child, it was a promise they had together and one Shinji would see that it came true.

"I remember and I love you too," came his reply as Misato began to call out orders to the command crew.

"No use dicking around you two," she said to the groans of everyone present, "lets get unit 01 erected and vertical on the lift."

As the EVA began to move into position Misato continued with her orders to the chagrin of the others, "Shinji, don't be too hard on that thing and don't cock this up. Just make a clean kill and come home to us," turning to the face palming crew she yelled "UNIT ONE, LAUNCH!"

Riding out the six gee's as the EVA shot to the surface Shinji began to plan his first and second moves, "Always think ahead at least three steps in battle," his father, Melissa and Kurz had drilled into his head. Now as he rode the EVA that was exactly what he was doing, making plans upon plans as he forgot that he had not only Misato but his wife to advise and control the battle.

At Shinji emerged from the lift he glanced to his right, just as his wife had said a weapon was waiting for him. A rather large GAU style Gatling type weapon, it's shells were larger than an automobile and twice as heavy. The rounds themselves were Fin Stabilized Discarding Sabot class with a depleted uranium/tungsten alloy penetrator almost two feet in diameter. It was the largest weapon Shinji had seen in his life and he was going to use it on an unknown life form with an unknown form of defense. 'Perfect,' he thought, 'let the least trained of three pilots fight.'

That was not entirely true, he knew that only he had actual military training and real world combat experience. On top of that he'd fought the last angel though much of the fight was a painful blur. As he readied his weapon a glimmer of movement caught his eye. The angel was still moving on it's course, Shinji crouched down and moved as quickly and quietly as he could in his EVA.

Using a missile tower as cover Shinji stepped out into the path of the angel and squeezed the trigger firing a three second burst. The gun bucked and screamed an unholy roar, one that was heard on a nearby mountain by two unauthorized witnesses. Once done Shinji stepped back into cover and began moving once again, trying to stay ahead of his prey.

On the command deck chaos reigned as the angel's image was obscured by a pall of smoke. The penetrator carried no explosive relying on kinetic energy for the kill. However, due to the make up of the five foot by one and a half foot rod it was pyrophoric, meaning it would burn on impact as the energy of it's flight was converted into impact and penetration. The result was a very hot flame and lot of smoke and metal dust. That dust for the moment was confusing NERV's radar and Infra-Red sensors leaving Asuka and Misato blind.

As Shinji prepared himself for another burst the angel changed course and began to stalk it's foe. Shinji once again stepped out and this time held the trigger for five seconds. As he watched the first rounds neared their target he saw an orange hexagonal shimmer flash into existence, an AT field. Nothing was going to make it past and all he did was blind himself to his prey.

The warning to duck from Asuka almost came too late as Shinji ducked his head as a pair of tentacles whipped out and sliced through the ammo locker he had hid behind in two. The things also had cut the gun's barrel cluster off at between the muzzle and first support ring like it was butter. Shinji dropped the now useless weapon and dodged out of the way of the angels own weapons.

"We're sending up a pallet rifle to locker el-five," Asuka told him as he was running from the angel.

Reaching the locker Shinji was just grabbing it when the angel appeared an sliced the building, gun and almost the EVA's hand in two. Ducking the tentacles whipped around and cut the neighboring structure into multiple sections. Shinji had had enough, running was not what he was trained to do and it was not something a Sagara would willingly do. As his mother's words came back to him he reached for his blade.

 _"One day, when you have nothing but a blade, heart and training you'll understand."_ Shinji smiled a grim smile as his mothers words now made all the sense in the world. Stepping out of cover Shinji ran head long at the angel with Asuka crying for him to be careful. As he closed on his target he raised his own AT field as he had been told in the last fight the two fields tended to cancel each other out.

As he made his first thrust one of the tentacles flashed out but Shinji caught it in his free hand. The pain was intense, a cross of fire and electrical shock. Somehow Shinji endure enough to get a couple of cuts in before the angel grabbed the EVA with both tentacles and flung it like a toy. As Shinji became airborne the angel made one last swipe and in doing so cut the EVA's umbilical cable, switching to internal power.

As it was the unit landed on the same mountain that his friends were on, in fact they were sitting terrified between the fingers of the unit's left hand. As Shinji began to get up his external mics picked up the screams of his classmates. Looking down he saw it was Toji and Kensuke.

Keying his own mic he asked for advice, it was Misato who answered, "We're going to partially eject the plug so you can get them on board. Once those two are inside make your way to the nearest lift so we can get them out and you can regroup, understand?"

"Affirmative, but I still have power so I can still fight," Shinji told Misato, "I have a plan and it will only work while I'm here now."

"Baka," his wife scolded, "Follow orders, I want you to take those two stooges to safety so we can regroup and come up with a new plan."

"But, I know I can..." he began before Asuka yelled.

"NO BUTS CAPT," she yelled, scared to death that she was going to lose him if he fought with two others in the plug, "You're junior to me and you will follow orders, do you understand me?"

"Yes ma'am, I read you loud and clear," came the reply through clenched teeth and in a tone Asuka had never heard before.

As she felt more tears fall Misato had opened the external speakers on the EVA and ordered the two on the ground to climb into the plug. Once they got in Toji looked at the pilot, Shinji was still in pain from not only the rough landing but from the burns on his hand.

"Hey Shinji," Toji called, 'You okay?" he asked.

Shinji just took a breath and glared at the two, "Asuka's right, you two really are stooges. Just find a place to sit and shut up. Aida, you and I are going to have a long talk after this is over, understand?"

Kensuke understood the tone Shinji was using and just nodded his head. The boy knew that instead of regaining Shinji's trust he had blown it in a big way.

As the plug reset itself and the LCL poured in the two passengers began to panic. Toji was scared he would drown and Kensuke was moaning about his camera. Shinji just yelled at the to shut up again as the EVA reactivated, their cries and mental noise beginning to become a distraction to both the pilot and the machine.

Looking up he saw his escape route was now cut off by the angel and he had less than three minutes of power left. Knowing that he had no choice Shinji ignored the calls from both Misato and Asuka. In the back Toji and Kensuke heard the arguments as the EVA slid down the mountain like a skier.

"Shinji, Shinji, break off and retreat, that's an order understand?" came Misato's voice desperate for him to do as she said.

"Retreat is cut off, I had a chance but I had to pick up some dead weight remember?" came his bitter reply as his friends flinched at his words.

"Baka, listen to us, break off and retreat!" Asuka yelled in order to hide the trepidation in her voice. Her husband, the boy she had always loved had once again put himself in danger for her and others.

"Sorry koi, I have no choice," was all he had time to say as he hit the angel full force.

The first tentacle lashed out and Shinji grabbed it with his off hand intending to cut it with the knife. Gritting his teeth against the pain he raised the knife just as the second whip slashed across the EVA's chest. Shinji recoiled in pain and then made another attempt to end the fight, the countdown now at two minutes and running.

Another slash by the angel was caught by the EVA and this time Shinji had it clamped in the EVA's jaws. By now the pain was showing on Shinji in more ways, blood was seeping into the LCL from Shinji's mouth both from where the tentacle was being held by the EVA and from the teens lungs as the second tentacle had actually penetrated the EVA's chest armor.

Shinji fought back ignoring his wife's threats and pleas for him to retreat. He knew that it was too late for that, it had been after he had to stop to save his friends. As the counter hit seventy-five seconds Shinji tried one last gamble.

Lunging into his foe Shinji finally nullified it's AT field and yelling a battle cry began to hammer and stab at the angels core. Seeing the first cracks appear he redoubled his efforts and as the timer began to count the final seconds the core bust as the angel exploded in a pyre of light, smoke and blood.

Three seconds later the EVA went silent. Thankfully the bridge decided against a force eject, it was unknown how badly injured the two passengers would fare if that happened.

As the EVA shut down Misato began to issue commands, "Send a recovery team to unit one. Make sure the pilot and his passengers are okay and then transport them here."

At this Asuka stepped in, "I want those two idiots held in solitary for the next twenty-four hours and interrogated as to what they were doing outside the shelter," turning to her sister in law she said to the girl, " I have a feeling that your boyfriend is the cause of this, either do something about him or I will."

Rei nodded, embarrassed that this kind of attention was on her once again because of Kensuke's stupidity and obsession with the EVA, "I will speak to him about it, I'm sorry he has caused so much trouble."

"Rei," Asuka said quietly, "you need to do more than that. Shinji already dislikes and mistrusts him for telling Toji that he and I are pilots. Knowing my husband, he'll ask for a sanction on Aida and seeing how things are, Mithril and NERV will grant it."

Now Rei was nervous, her brother wouldn't actually kill Kensuke would he? Thinking of what she knew and had heard about him she concluded that yes, if he continued to endanger missions and the pilots he would be eliminated and her brother would personally pull the trigger.

"I understand," she said softly, "I will speak to him and put a stop to his actions at once."

Asuka nodded, satisfied that she had gotten through to her fellow pilot and family member. Now it was time to deal with her husband, not only did he take an unnecessary risk, he ignored her and Misato's orders. After the time she spent doing as he said professional courtesy dictated that he do the same. She was after all senior to him in rank.

As she walked to the locker room her she replayed all that went wrong, it was when he took in the two idiots that he disobeyed orders. The more she thought about it the madder she got and by the time she was in front of Shinji's locker room she was furious. It was when she opened the door, that was when she snapped.

Shinji was sitting on the bench in just his briefs, his toned body showing welts that were red and angry looking from where the angel had touched his EVA. It was an occupational hazard, the higher you could sync with your EVA the more pain you'll feel when it got hit. Shinji had paid for his actions and Asuka felt all her fears rise to the top as she viewed his injuries.

Walking to her husband she caught him off guard, he had turned to see her with a smile on his lips, "Asu..." was all he got out as the fist came into view.

The girl had hit him so hard he fell of the bench, before he could speak she was yelling, "Asshole! Don't you Asuka me Shinji, don't you dare!"

The boy struggled to get up as another hand crashed into him, " You have no idea what you put me through, what you put all of us through. I told you to break off for a reason but no, you had to do things your way! You selfish bastard! Right now I'm pissed at you, don't say anything to me and get dressed. You have a debrief in ten minutes, ready room seven," with a final scathing look she walked out. As soon as the door closed behind her the tears began to fall.

"Damn you Shinji, that hurt having to do that to you," she sobbed as she walked, "Maybe you'll listen next time, maybe you won't come back so hurt."

Ten minutes later Shinji was in the ready room for his debrief. After a five minute harangue by Misato and a further round of abuse from his wife Shinji was ready to walk out and say fuck all to everything and everyone, including Asuka. He had never once struck her and he had reason to do so many times. She on the other hand had slapped him when she was frustrated or scared, but never had she used a fist on him. It hurt, not only on the physical level but on the emotional one as well.

Shinji just looked at his wife as she told him over and over how stupid he was, how much trouble he was when he went 'rouge'. How much she hated him for ignoring her orders. Then she said the one thing that hurt him to the core.

"Capt Sagara," Asuka was saying, not bothering to use his first name, "as far as I'm concerned you're useless to me and NERV if you refuse to carry out your orders. I expected better of you since you were professionally trained. I guess I was wrong, at the moment you're a disappointment to me and the organization."

Those two words, 'useless' and 'disappointment' caused the young pilot to flinch as if hit. Misato caught it and stopped Asuka's verbal assault. At that point Misato realized that she and the girl had gone too far. Shinji just sat quietly and waited for the other shoe to drop. It wouldn't surprise him if that bastard walked in and voiced his own opinion of how Shinji let him down. That was not the case however as Misato asked for his side of the story.

"Everything was going to plan," he began in a tone that Asuka never heard before, it was flat, lifeless, it was not her Shinji though, it was someone else, "I had every intention to follow the retreat order but the situation changed."

Asuka looked up, "What changed?" she asked.

"Your sensors must have had a blind spot or you were so focused on my retreat that you all missed it," he said accusingly.

"Missed what koi" Asuka asked again, concern growing for her husband as he sounded broken.

Looking up at their term of love, Shinji recovered and once again answered hollowly, "In the time I had loaded Toji and Aida into the plug the angel moved into a position that cut off my escape. If I had not been tasked to recover them I would have had a chance to return. At that point I had no choice but to fight," end ended in a whisper.

The two women were silent, had they missed something in the excitement of the moment? Both stepped into another room to look over the tapes made during the battle. Sure enough there it was, the track of the angel on Makoto's screen. It was his job to issue position reports and he missed that one as the audio tapes confirmed.

They had missed it and they took their mistake out on a pilot that had only one option. Asuka felt her stomach drop, she had punched him in the face not once but twice. Yelled that she was pissed off at him and in a flash of regret realized she had called him the one thing he was not but haunted him all his life. She called him useless, just like that bastard had. She knew he was hurting and it was her fault. How could she look at him now? How could he love her after all this? For the first time in a long time Asuka was scared that everything that made her happy and safe was going to be lost to her.

Shinji and his family will hate her and she had no defense. It was her fault that he was like he was now, she had never seen him so broken, so quiet and resigned to his fate. At that Asuka became afraid that the next time he went out he would not come back. She knew his personality, he would risk it all including his life to successfully conclude a mission. She knew that to redeem himself in her eyes he would willingly risk everything and forfeit all including his life. Asuka was now very afraid for her husbands life.

As the ladies walked back into the ready room they found Shinji quietly staring at a photo of him and Asuka. She noticed it was from their first real date in California. They had gone out with their new friends and at the end of the night a camera came out and shots of every couple was taken, as the teen looked at it he smiled. However when he noticed that the girls were back the smile faded and the photo was put away and the memory of that night forgotten.

Looking up Shinji asked a question, "So, was I correct or did the great ones who aren't risking their lives and fight by remote control going to tell me I'm still a useless sack of shit?"

Asuka looked down and fought back the tears, time for those later, "We... we looked over and listened to the tapes. One of the staff neglected to inform us of the angels change of position. Koi, I'm..."

"No Asuka, you don't get to say it, I'm not your Koi anymore, I'm just a useless pilot," as he said that Shinji stood to leave. Turning to Misato he spoke again, "If we're done here I'll be leaving. I'll be staying at my sisters place for the time being. I'll... continue my duties as the Second Child's bodyguard until a suitable replacement is found."

As he left he heard Asuka sobbing loudly in grief. He knew he had hurt her but she had done the same but worse, he loved her but was it worth it? On his way out he punched the wall almost breaking his hand. He loved his wife but piloting was tearing his marriage to pieces and he had no idea how to stop the damage.

Shinji rode his bike to the apartment as fast as he could. It was a strange feeling not having Asuka at his side as he flew down the roads. It was something that he supposed he would get used to. Divorce was more and more on his mind. As soon as Asuka's unit arrived from Germany he would resign from NERV and file for divorce. As the union had produced no children it was a simple affair. Shinji would just say he had no desire to father a child and the marriage was over. Young men such as he, educated and with a career were in great demand and he had noticed that looks that the girls in his school had given him almost daily.

In fact several of the third year middle school girls had asked him out but were scared off by his wife. His wife, he loved her with all his heart, had loved her since they were kids, but now? A few days away would do them both some good. Packing away enough for a week Shinji then made a last meal for the girls and left a note that dinner was in the fridge. With a last look around Shinji walked out of his last home and mounted his bike.

Misato and Asuka each drove the way home slowly. Asuka was very aware that her wing man was missing and most likely never to return. She understood the hidden message " _...until a suitable replacement is found_." Shinji was leaving her and it was her fault, if she only had not went down to the locker room and hit him this would not be happening. Asuka wished that they could have stayed in California, they had made a life there, had friends there. She missed them and their old home.

The US, their last place of happiness. Even though there had been attempts on her life they were happy. No Mithril, no NERV and certainly no fucking angels. Just days of school and friends. Weekends in bed and afternoons of making love. Making love, the last time had been a week ago when Misato was out of town. Their sex life had gone from everyday to once a week, if they were lucky. As she parked the bike Asuka decided she hated Tokyo Three and NERV. This place was going to cost her her marriage, it had it seemed already cost her her husbands love.

Seeing the dinner Shinji had made for them was the final straw, Asuka broke down and cried herself to sleep. GEHERN and now NERV had taken the two most important people on her life and it hurt. She knew that it was going to be hard to face Rei in the morning as she knew Shinji would blow off classes until he either cooled down or another angel showed.

The next morning Asuka was right, Rei was not only mad, she was pissed. The right cross came out of nowhere, and the follow up hurt just as much. Seeing Rei's fist head for her stomach she finally dodged. Catching her arm Asuka held Rei for a moment and spoke into her ear.

"Please Rei, no more I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," she almost cried.

"Why? Why did you hurt my brother? I don't understand," asked Rei,

"Just promise not to tell Shinji and I'll tell you everything, just, please Rei, please," Asuka begged.

Seeing as she had no choice the bluenette agreed. "Alright, Rei, I screwed up after Shinji's battle. It scared me, all I could think of was that he was going to be killed this time for real because Unit 01 was running out of power. Misato and I didn't get the call that the angel had cut off his retreat route," she explained, " So I yelled at him and hit him because I thought that would teach him to be more careful. All I really did was hurt him needlessly. When I got home I saw that he had made me one last dinner I just lost it. I went to bed and I realized something."

Rei looked at her sister in law with suspicion, "And what is that ? You miss your punching bag? Forget to call him unwanted too?"

Asuka flinched at Rei's words. While they hurt she knew that she deserved it,"No, I realized that I need him more than I knew," she explained, "I realized that he's all I ever wanted and that I blew it with him. I'm afraid and..."

"And?"

"I'm afraid he's going to leave me," Asuka sighed and then laughed, "I deserve it though, ever since we arrived there's been no real time for us. You know we would make love at least twice a day, sometimes more back in the US, but in the last five weeks we've only had one night to our selves. No wonder he left me, because of me being afraid Misato hearing us I've been telling him no every time he asked."

Looking at her sister in law Asuka whispered, "Please Rei, don't tell Shinji what I've told you. Promise me."

"So I don't understand, why should I not tell my brother? He would rush home if he knew," was Rei's response.

"It's for that reason, I want him to come back because he loves me not because I miss him," Asuka explained.

"And if he leaves before you tell him? He's considering divorce right now. I've talked him into rethinking that idea," Rei countered.

Now Asuka felt sick, her love was going to leave and her life was crashing down. Without Shinji Dr Akagi would have free reign over her medical treatment, by force if need be. Shinji was the only one that could stand up to the bitch, she would be alone and forgotten. She had a feeling that once the war was over she would be forgotten an unwanted, child soldiers tend to be an embarrassment after all. NERV or the UN would compensate her grandly for her silence but she would have no family or friends. At that point she made a decision, one she hoped would fix everything.

The second day Asuka almost kill the two stooges, earning her the nickname of the Red Devil. It was their fault that Shinji had ignored orders and had made Asuka mad at him. She hated Kensuke the most as it was his idea in the first place but Toji could have, should have said no. Her next target was the class rep, as Asuka stalked into the room Hikari gave her a cheery good morning, Asuka replied with a slap in the face.

"Why would you hit me Asuka?" the girl asked through tears, "I thought, I thought we were friends."

The redhead glared at the girl, "We are, that was for not doing your job as class rep and keeping those two monkeys in the zoo," she spat.

Hikari knew that both boys had crossed NERV in some way but Toji refused to talk about it and Kensuke was in trouble with Rei for a second time. For Asuka to be this mad...

"What did they do?" she asked.

"Plenty, because of them Shinji was injured and punished for not following orders," Asuka told the girl who gasped at the result of Aida and Toji's actions, "Because Shinji failed to obey, our superior and I dressed him raked him over the coals, called into question his professionalism and hurt his feelings to the point he left me. Hikari, my husband is going to ask for reassignment and then file for divorce because of those two. And it's partly your fault for letting them out of your sight," Asuka told the shocked girl.

"You'll understand if I miss class for the next few days," Asuka continued as she left the room.

"Suzuhara Toji get your butt over here...NOW!" Hikari yelled at her soon to be ex boyfriend.

 _The Following Day_

Kensuke Aida was having a bad week, first he was almost killed by a flying EVA then he was almost drowned inside said machine. After that he was held in an secret prison cell for over a day before released with a warning not to discuss what he had seen or done as the penalty would be for worse. His girlfriend then told him she was not speaking to him for the next week because of his actions.

When he returned to school he was beaten half to death by a red haired fury named Asuka Soryu-Sagara. Now his best friend had just kicked the crap out of him for the same reason, he made a bad decision and it was his fault that Hikari had just broke up with him. On top of everything else Rei had told him that her brother was seriously considering him a security threat to Asuka, Rei and himself and was going to request a sanction on his life. All because he wanted to see what was being hid from the public. She then told him this was his last chance and warning, if he continued to obsess over the EVA she would leave him and her brother would be cleared to execute him. 'Fucking NERV and fucking pilots', he thought. Speaking of the pilots, where were they?

Shinji had spent the past four days thinking. It was on the second evening that his sister began to ask him how he actually felt about his wife. She then began telling him that Asuka was a wreck, while she wasn't crying the life that she normally exhibited was gone. In fact she had been absent the last two days. She had left school after slapping and having words with the class rep. That was after she had almost took Toji and Kensuke apart at the seams.

So, after two days of hearing how much his wife hurt was too much. Shinji showered and got dressed, before he left he placed a note on his sister's dinner table and then taking his bag, walked out the door. Once again he rode his bike at reckless speeds in fact at one point being pulled over by Tokyo Three PD. A flash of his ID and he was on his way with a warning, T3 was very much a company town. Soon he was walking up a familiar stairway and entered the apartment he shared with his wife. Saying nothing he entered the living room to see Asuka sadly staring out the window. Coming closer he saw a tear run down her cheek as it ran his heart broke.

He knew that she was putting herself through hell because of him and it wasn't fair, she had acted as she always had when she was afraid but this time he had taken it badly. It was probably because Misato was also tearing him down that day too, it had overwhelmed him and he lashed out like he had seen Sousuke do in his early days with them. His father would take everything and hold it inside and then when he could take no more lash out at Kaname or one time Shinji, then leave the house, staying at his quarters in the Officers Barracks for a few days. When he returned he would tell mother he was sorry and the next flight off the island they would leave for a week to make up. It was why he had his brother and sister as twice Kaname had returned from a week of make up sex pregnant.

Shinji felt sick , he was turning into his old man. As much as he loved his dad there were some things about him that he hated. Although he understood that most of the man's problems stemmed from PTSD gained over years exposed to combat and other hardships. In fact in his first two years living with them he witnessed more than a few knock down fights between his parents. It was only after Uncle Kurz beat his father into the ground for giving Kaname a black eye did the man seek help for his problems. Now Shinji felt he was following the same path.

Asuka had not noticed him as he walked up to her, as he drew closer he spoke to her softly, "I missed you and I'm sorry for leaving you Asu-chan."

Asuka's breath caught, standing and turning around she saw her first and only love in front of her again. Smiling she wrapped her arms around him and placed kisses all over his face before capturing his lips. Shinji kissed her back with all the love he had and as he kissed her he held her tightly.

"I'm sorry that I hit you and called you those names," Asuka told him, "I'll never do that again Shinji, I promise I'll never ever treat you like that. I love you so very much."

"The same Koi, I'll never lose my temper and leave you again," Shinji replied, will you be so gracious as the take my dumb ass back into your heart?"

Asuka just smiled and kissed him once more before she answered, "Silly baka, you never left it."

They spent the rest of the afternoon in their room making love. It started out as just kissing but the session escalated as time went on. As he was kissing Asuka Shinji put his hand under her shirt and began to rub her breasts, that got Asuka more aroused and as he began to rub her sex he found her wetter than ever.

A bit more kissing and soon Shinji had his face under her skirt and he began to lick and suck her most private place. Shinji enjoyed hearing his wife moan in pleasure and he was making sure she was in a state of bliss. As he lowered his pants so he could fully pleasure her Asuka grabbed his hand and led him back to their room. Locking the door Asuka led her husband to their bed. It had been very lonely for the last few days, Asuka would wake and to find his spot still empty and would cry herself back to sleep. At the same time the nightmares had returned. Now Shinji was back where he belonged and she was not letting him go.

As Shinji was led back to the bed he shared with his young wife he grinned, as comfortable Rei's recliner was, it was not his bed. It was missing his wife who was looking at him once again with love and desire in her eyes.

By the time they made it to the bed they had both shed their clothes. Shinji had turned Asuka around and bent her froward. Holding her by the waist he buried himself into her in one thrust, making his wife gasp at the sensation of fullness she had not felt in weeks. Shinji was soon kissing her neck and shoulders as she turned to face him. Kissing him as best as she could she felt her husbands every thrust and twitch.

As he sped up Asuka was howling in pleasure and as she hit her most intense orgasm Shinji released his balls into her. As she felt her husband fill her up Asuka moaned and whined in a lust induced haze. With one more thrust she came for the sixth and final time before collapsing on the bed with Shinji still inside her.

Waking from their nap Asuka took Shinji's hand in hers. As she kissed it she began to tell him how much she had missed him and how she had gone on a rampage in school. Working up her nerve she kissed him deeply one last time before looking into his eyes.

"Koi? I have something to tell you," she began not knowing how he would react, "I'm so so sorry for everything I did and said the other day."

"I know, and I'm just as sorry for walking out on you," Shinji said as he held her tighter.

Asuka held her husband tightly in return for a bit as she began to think. Outside of the Angels and moving to T3 nothing had really changed for them had it? True their sex life had taken a dump when they moved in with Misato...that was it, it had to be. The reason they they had reacted so badly to each other after the angel, this was Misato's place, not theirs and they had to follow her rules and the main one was that they restrict their love making to their room and when she wasn't home. Since Misato was almost always home they hadn't had but, well now, two chances to actually have a good old fashioned fuck.

Looking to her lover Asuka decided to speak, "Shinji, how much money do we have in the bank?"

"I don't know," he replied, "with my pay from Mithril over the last few years I'd say maybe one hundred and fifty thousand dollars give or take a few thousand, why?

"Our ID's allows for lots of things, it should back our emancipation papers," Asuka explained, "Not only that the age of majority in this country was lowered to fifteen seven years ago, I checked."

"And this relates to our bank balance, how?" Shinji asked.

"It means that we can get our own place," Asuka answered, "One where we can call our own Shinji, one that if you want we can share with your sister as well. But it'll still be ours no matter what."

Hearing that Shinji smiled, "Well, when you put it like that I can't say no to you. We'll tell Misato in the morning, okay?"

Asuka smiled, "Fine in the morning then," she replied as she once again drifted off to the first decent sleep in days.

TBC


	4. Chapter 4 Excitable Boy

Welcome To The Machine

Chapter 4

Excitable Boy

"No! Not no, but hell no!" replied a certain NERV Captain as she took another drink from her can of beer.

"Misato, we tried it your way and it just doesn't work," Shinji tried to explain.

"You two aren't thinking clearly, you have a home here," Misato tried to argue.

"No, _you_ have a home here," Asuka retorted, "We feel like guests that have overstayed their welcome."

"Asuka, it's not like that, this is yours and Shinji's place too," Misato told the girl trying to get her to see reason, "besides, you need to be at least twenty to enter into a contract."

"No, fourteen is the age of majority, same as age of consent and marriage. I checked," Asuka smirked in triumph.

Turning to the single male in the place Misato began to speak once again to him, "Shinji, surely you must see that getting your own place isn't a good idea."

"Sorry Misa-chan," Shinji said with a sad smile, "we tried it your way and it don't work for us."

"What doesn't work?" Misato asked genuinely clueless.

"Misato," Asuka began, "how many times in the past few weeks have you and Kaji made love?"

"I don't see how this..."

"How many times?"

" About two dozen since you two arrived," Misato replied somewhat embarrassed.

"You want to know how many times for me and Shinji?" Asuka asked continuing before her sister figure could reply, "Twice, once when you went away for the weekend and this afternoon."

"You two are just kids though, Kaji and I are adults and it's different for..."

"Misato," Shinji said as he cut into her argument, "Asuka and I _are_ married and you and Kaji are not. It's not fair to me and my wife to have to wait until you go out of town to make love while you and Kaji are like rabbits."

"Not to mention that you're kind of loud and it just makes us all the more frustrated," Asuka told the woman whose cheeks flushed red.

"Misato, Asuka and I need our lovemaking, it...it takes the edge off of the pressure we feel, especially after we have been in combat and survived. It's how we show each other we're alive and love the other," Shinji told the woman trying to make her understand, "Asuka and I talked about it, nothing is different in our routine but one thing, care to guess what that is?"

"Sex? Or the lack of it?" Misato answered.

"Hallelujah, she understands" called out a weary Asuka.

"Exactly," Shinji relied, "You have to realize, Asuka and I aren't exactly normal kids, If it makes you feel better, we can move into the place next door and put a door in the wall between the two apartments like we did in Berlin. But that's the closest we're willing to live near you. Plus you have to respect our privacy, deal?"

"I just worry about you two, especially on your own in Tokyo Three," Misato said.

Asuka gave her a rare genuine smile, "Misato, we did very well in Bakersfield, why would we not in Tokyo Three?"

"I..I've...Asuka, I've always seen you as the daughter I never had and I worry about you and Shinji," Misato told the girl, "The last three years was hard for both me and Kaji."

Hearing that Asuka drew her former guardian into a hug, "You'll always be my big sister, you just have to let me live my own life. Shinji takes very good care of me and I hated it when he was staying at Rei's place, you know that."

"I know, I suppose I wanted to keep you little for a while longer," Misato conceded, "Look, NERV owns this building and I sure it'll be no time that you'll be moved in."

Shinji sighed in relief, he and Asuka knew that there would be a fight over their desire to move out. He never realized how much she actually cared about him and his wife. In the end it had been a compromise but one that he could live with. Turning his attention to the kitchen he walked to the stove to began to start dinner. One problem down, he thought, now to tackle an idiot that can't keep his mouth shut or follow instructions.

/

A week later and Shinji and Asuka found themselves moved into their new place. Granted it shared a common wall and door with Misato but it was the amount of privacy it offered that had the couple very happy. On their return to school they found a very subdued Toji and Kensuke, in fact the two seemed to not be speaking to each other and Kensuke was sporting two black eyes.

As Shinji approached the pair he noticed the two had found the floor very interesting. Turning to Toji he began to speak, "Toji, I'm not mad at you, maybe a little upset that you let yourself be talked into what happened but I'm not mad. I asked Asuka to plead your case with Hikari so you should have your girlfriend back by the end of the day."

Hearing this the boy looked up with a hopeful expression on his face, "Th...thanks, she broke up with me after Asuka told her what happened. I never should have listened to this idiot next to me."

Kensuke felt like he had been kicked, his best friend was now calling him an idiot. He knew it was true, he lost a lot of Toji's respect and even Hikari had been taking her anger out on him. There wasn't a day that had gone by that she hadn't put him on clean up duty.

What hurt most was Rei not talking to him, she refused to even look at him until her damn brother tells her it was okay. So now he was in limbo with his girlfriend and her family, with the bastard was standing in front of him.

"Aida," Shinji called out, "after school you'll go with us to NERV headquarters."

"For what? So you can _sanction_ me like you're planning to?" came Kensuke's answer.

Looking at him Shinji narrowed his eyes, "No you little shit, so you can be read into the program. I and Asuka have been ordered to train you as you asked."

It took all his willpower to not jump for joy when Kensuke heard that. He was going to be let in on some of the secrets his girlfriend worked behind. He'd always wanted to be a soldier of some kind and here was his chance. He could protect Rei and have a reason to be at her side more than he already was. Sure, it sounded creepy in a possessive boyfriend kind of way, but he genuinely cared and loved Rei and wanted only the best for her. At the same time, he, Kensuke, was the only one on earth to get as close to Rei as he was. Not even Section Two were allowed to be in such close proximity as he, hell, Kensuke thought, they weren't even allowed into her place unless something had put her in danger.

Looking into the mercenary's eyes the teen just nodded and quietly spoke, "Thank you Sagara-san for this chance. I'll do my best."

Hearing that Asuka snorted, "Best? You had better do more than that, he didn't tell you did he?"

Kensuke looked confused, "Tell me? Tell me what?"

"Shinji's too busy getting up to speed with his unit," the red head began with a sickeningly sweet smile and tone, "So until further notice you'll be learning from me."

"May god have mercy on your soul," added a slightly amused Shinji as he walked away heading to his desk.

To say the trip to NERV headquarters was uneasy would be an understatement. Kensuke had been shoved into the back seat of Shinji's Eclipse. To make matters worse Rei was along for the ride and she still refused to speak to him. Asuka had put in a CD that the boy recognized as a pre-Second Impact band Pink Floyd. The CD was called Dark Side Of The Moon and it reflected perfectly the things he had seen and heard of since he first began to date Rei.

Asuka was softly singing with the music as her husband drove from school to NERV. While not as fast or reckless as Misato he still pushed the traffic laws hard. The small red auto wound it's way along the expressway and in less than fifteen minutes arrived at HQ.

Passing the security check point Kensuke was issued a visitors ID and allowed to continue with his escorts and hopefully future trainers. Stopping at the small cafe that served the facility the group grabbed some snacks and drinks before entering a mid sized conference room.

Kensuke noticed the room held podium in front of a white board and about a dozen chairs with folding writing desks. To him it looked like a ready room that one would see in old movies about aircraft carriers. The chairs were comfortable but not to the point of relaxing the occupant to drowsiness. He also noticed that the room's temperature was on the cool side, a trick he knew to keep one alert. Hearing a noise he brought his attention to the front and onto Shinji.

"Okay," Shinji began, "what you are about to hear and see are classified to the highest level. Outside of this complex this info does not exist. Any divergence of what you're told here today can be punished by imprisonment and or death."

"In other words," Shinji paused for effect, "If you shoot off your mouth again, I'll shoot you myself, Understand?"

Speechless, Kensuke just nodded his head. Seeing that Shinji continued, "You have been accepted to begin training as a bodyguard for EVA Pilot 1st Lt. Ayanami Rei. I have been instructed to give you background on the EVA and NERV in general so here goes."

Shinji took a drink from his water bottle and began speaking, "NERV is a UN sanctioned program charged with protecting the earth from alien beings of unknown origin. These beings have been code named 'Angels'. Tokyo Three is charged with the defense of earth and the operational base for the EVA units."

As Shinji paused paused for a drink Kensuke asked the first of his questions, "Why are they called angels?"

"Unknown, most likely it was the next word in the computer," Shinji replied, "Now, the EVAs are bio-mechanized constructs designed to combat these intruders. They are operated by a single pilot in a control unit or plug through a combination of manual and mental inputs."

Taking advantage of another pause Kensuke asked another question, "That liquid in the plug, what's that for and what do you mean mental input?"

"The liquid is called Link Connecting Liquid or LCL and serves several purposes, the first is a conductor for control inputs to the EVA, however, how that works is classified beyond your level. The second purpose is as a cushion against physical shock such as sudden accelerations and deceleration. It's also oxygenated as you have found out so a pilot is not dependent on a liquid oxygen system or external atmosphere which could become contaminated with chemical or biological agents."

The lecture went on for another half hour before Shinji handed Kensuke a folder of forms. "What are these?" asked Kensuke as he read the cover sheet.

"Non-disclosure statement, verification that you have been given a security briefing and are aware of the penalties should you violate said briefing and agreement. You are also signing for your ID card, uniforms and weapons. The last one is your contract, I suggest you read it at least one before you sign. You have time before your next briefer arrives."

Kensuke nodded his head that he understood and began going over the forms. The first two were written copies of the briefing Shinji had given him, these would, Shinji told him, stay in a safe in the office assigned to him. The others were simply receipts for items he had yet to collect. Shinji, he noticed was just sitting in one of the seats writing in a journal, keeping to himself but ready it seemed to answer any questions he may have.

Kensuke noted that according to his contract he would be available and on call twenty-four, seven, and had to be able to answer in a moments notice. He would be issued a cell phone that must be with him at all times. His ID would act as a concealed weapons permit and if endorsed a license to drive.

He also noted that he would carry a rank of 2nd Lt. And would be paid accordingly. However, seventy-five percent of his pay was to be placed in a trust fund to be accessed once he either turned eighteen or was accepted into a university. He asked Shinji about that and if it applied to him and Asuka. He was told to a degree, only fifty-five percent was withheld now as he and Asuka have already completed college and had their degrees.

Having his questions answered and having read the contract twice Kensuke signed the last of the forms. As he set his pen down Shinji collected the paperwork as the door slid open and both Asuka and Rei stepped in. Shinji gave a nod to the boy as he departed and kissed his wife on the way out the door. As the door slid closed Asuka strode to the front of the room and gave the glasses wearing boy a predators grin. As Kensuke gulped the red haired girl began.

"I have four weeks to train you for your job and even then you will only know the basics." Walking up to Kensuke's seat she placed a pistol on the writing surface, " Fabrique Nationale FN Five SeveN pistol. Chambered for five point seven by twenty-eight millimeters, twenty round magazine capacity. This is the standard issue pistol for EVA pilot's and close protection personel. That means you and Shinji. You will spend two hours a day on the range and kill house becoming familiar with this weapon, with me so far?"

Kensuke nodded and asked his first question, "Why use such a small round? I mean why not a nine or ten millimeter weapon?"

Asuka smiled at him, "You're smarter than you look, okay, I'll let you know. Nine and ten millimeter rounds have either a hollow point, flat or ogive* nose. While these have some knock down power and will inflict a good amount of trauma they won't defeat body armor. The five seven rounds will. The other reasons are more rounds carried, twenty instead of thirteen to fifteen and easier to grip. We're still kids so the larger guns section two carry are harder to hold as well as heavier."

Kensuke nodded, "So, with this I can hurt someone wearing body armor and have more shots initially than they do?"

"Exactly, now this," Asuka continued as she placed a black rectangle next to the pistol, "is a product from Magpul. It was the second gun Shinji gave to me," she said with a big smile. Most guys give their girls flowers and jewelry, Shinji, like his father Sousuke, give their women things to protect themselves with, still smiling Asuka picked the box up, "It's a machine pistol that folds up into that little package, I'll show you," hitting the catches the gun unfolded into a small compact weapon, "as you see, it's small but just as lethal as the pistol."

"That's...I've never seen a gun like that let alone heard about it. How new is this thing?" Kensuke asked stunned at what he was looking at.

"As far as I know you will have the fourth operational weapon. Shinji had them make first for the two of us and then one for Rei. These are custom builds, Magpul plans to release them in nine mike-mike but depending on how we use them in the real world Mithril may issue an order for quite a few units for our undercover assets," Asuka told him.

"Our? I thought you were a NERV employee, Rei told me that you were a Luftwaffe officer and pilot," Kensuke said in surprise.

"At the moment Shinji and I are seconded to NERV but a few weeks before coming here the Luftwaffe transferred me to Mithril and then NERV had us sent here. Between the time I was transferred and sent here I resigned from the Luftwaffe and am under contract with Mithril, same as my husband and in laws," Asuka explained with some pride the boy noted.

"By the way, the contract you signed was for Mithril and not NERV, not directly. Shinji and I don't trust NERV or his father so our pay is handled by NERV but we answer to Mithril as they provide everything else, just so you know," she told him with a smirk.

"You two don't like commander Ikari do you?" It was more statement than question, Kensuke had noticed that Rei was more stand offish with her surrogate father since her discovery of her brother's existence.

"He's not done anything for my husband and actually abandoned him to an uncle when he was four, just weeks after Shinji watched his mother be killed testing a prototype EVA it seems. In the few times they've had contact they're very cool to each other, but, I think the commander cares more for Shinji than he lets on."

"How so?" Kensuke asked since all this was news to him, sure he knew that Shinji hated the man and distrusted him but all this was.. well a lot to take in.

"Shinji's first fight... it didn't go so well. As his systems began to fail I caught a glimpse of the man. His body was tense and he had a look of worry on his face. Not that the mission was failing, but that his son was being hurt and he was powerless to do something about it. He came into the recovery room a couple of times, he looked like hell. Kensuke, the man was scared, scared that he was going to lose his son."

"Shinji know about any of that? I thought that he'd be happy to know his real father was worried."

"He doesn't want to hear any of it, he shut that man out long before he found me and is totally devoted to the couple that adopted him. I keep hoping that Shinji would just sit and talk to the man but when we got here we found out some things that angered both of us. That's all classified so don't ask about it."

"Now, you will be given instruction on the machine pistol after you get a feel for the pistol. The machine pistol is the same caliber as the pistol and in a pinch can use the Five SeveN's magazines. That usually is not necessary since the standard issue is four fifty round magazines and our doctrine is not to have a prolonged fight but to hit hard and break off. We do not stand and fight understand?" Asuka asked her glasses wearing classmate.

"I think, but why don't we stand our ground?" he asked.

"You have two hundred rounds of machine pistol ammo and about eighty for your pistol. Anytime we were assaulted the other guys had more ammo and bigger guns. In a stand up fight we don't stand a chance, so we hit hard and run, if we're lucky section two or Mithril arrives in time to get us out of danger but we never, ever, stand and fight," Asuka told the boy, although deep down she never liked the idea of running away. She accepted it however from the first time they were attacked in Germany. She only hoped the Kensuke wasn't as big of a stooge as she took him for.

Kensuke for his part understood the reasons for how they wanted him to react in an engagement. He wanted to show not only Shinji but Rei also that he was just as brave as the more experienced teen was. That however went out the window as Asuka gave him his briefing. It shook him up with how she acted when telling him not to stand and fight. Her tone was not that of the confident Asuka he had come to know, it was almost pleading, as if she knew from first hand experience of a stand up fight. At the same time she indicated that the subject was not up for discussion.

Kensuke told Asuka he understood and soon the briefing was covering his training schedule and how to find his way around the complex. As it stood now he could navigate the medical center and that was about it. Soon he was to know the place like the back of his hand. As Asuka was finishing up the door once again slid open and Rei walked in. Like her sister in law she was wearing a sage green utility uniform with a pistol in a shoulder holster.

Kensuke had never seen her dressed like this and he noted that the uniform hugged his girlfriends curves in all the right places. The otaku in him was jumping in excitement but he struggled to show a calm exterior. Asuka finished up telling him that he was to report at seven in the morning for his first training session. As she left Rei stepped to the front.

Kensuke stood up as she approached, "Rei, I...I missed you. Please tell me you forgive me for being an idiot," he pleaded to his girl.

Rei stood in front of him and looked at the ground, as she did Kensuke felt his heart sink, 'She's going to break up with me for real this time,' he thought to himself.

Just then he felt her arms encircle his neck, "Kensuke, I am sorry for how I have been treating you this past few days. You have no idea how hard it was to sit next to you and not say a word."

"So, you and I? Are we...are we still together?" he asked hopefully.

As he waited for her answer he felt her lips touch his as she melted into him, "Yes, we never were apart but I agreed with my brother you needed to be punished. You can't just do or say what you want now, you put people in danger, you put me and my family in danger when you do," she told him softly but those who knew her well, like her boyfriend, knew she was all but shouting at him.

Kissing her one more time to silence her he just held her for as long as he could. "So, since you're my next briefing officer what's the subject?"

"I will be taking you to the gym, small arms range, locker rooms and EVA cages as well as the control deck. After that you'll be issued your uniforms, ID card and then meet my brother and his wife for dinner," she explained to him as they left the ready room.

As they wound their way through the maze called NERV Tokyo Rei pointed out the locations of this department or that office belonging to someone important. Their first stop was Human Resources for his ID card and cell phone. As he was signing for the phone he was given not only the phone and charger but a spare battery. He was to place both the spare and phone on the charger and swap it out in the morning. The idea was that he would have a fully charged battery in the phone at all times. Saying he understood he placed the items in his school bag and followed Rei out into the corridor.

The next stop was his issue clothing. He received eight pair of socks, underwear and tee shirts. For outer wear he was given eight sets of sage green utilities, five pair of black trousers, five OD green short sleeve shirts and two neck ties. A set of dress shoes, combat boots and steel toed jungle boots and three black webbed belts rounded out the clothing issue.

He was also given various accessories, gold single bar collar devices indicating his rank as a 2nd Lt., belt buckles for the web belts and boot bands to blouse his pant legs over his boots. The final objects were two pair of gym shorts and shirts along with a pair of athletic shoes and several more pairs of socks. As he was packing everything into the large gym bag he was given Kensuke noticed that everything was marked with his name and national ID number. The utility shirts also carried cloth tapes with his name over the left pocket and NERV over the right.

As they left the supply room Rei informed him that all these items were to be kept in the complex unless told otherwise. The next stop was the locker room which was fine since he needed to put this stuff away somewhere. Rei informed him that there was no need for locks on the lockers as only the pilots and him had access so if anything went missing the pool of suspects would be small. Dirty clothes went into a hamper and the clean ones would be placed on the open space next to his locker.

When questioned about the locker room being used by both sexes Rei replied that she didn't know what the fuss was about, Shinji and Asuka were married and since she and Shinji were siblings she didn't see anything wrong. Siblings she told him were used to seeing each other naked. Kensuke shook his head and told her that one, she and Shinji were teenagers and had never grown up seeing one another naked. Not to mention that Asuka would kill him if she even thought he had looked at her when she was changing.

Rei had the decency to blush when that fact about her and her brother was pointed out. The next thing she did was walk her boyfriend to a row of lockers on the opposite side of the room that was out of view from Shinji and Asuka's row. She then moved her things to the locker next to Kensuke's.

"I don't want to be separate from you and I think we're at the point in our relationship that we can dress and undress next to each other. Asuka and my brother do it and they have no trouble so it should be the same for us," She told him.

Kensuke just nodded dumbly, at some point soon he was going to see Rei completely nude. Not in the way they have been, her opening her blouse so he had access to her breasts or him pulling his junk out for her to play with as they petted and made out. No, they would be exposed to each other and it made him a little nervous.

Once they had everything stashed Rei led him first to the gym which was just a short walk away. Going back into the locker room and past the showers she led him through another door. This was the way to the EVA cages, in Kensuke's mind, the Holy Grail. As they entered the boy was speechless, of course he'd seen Unit 01, after all he rode in it. It was Unit 00 that made him gasp, he'd seen it before, it was during Rei's activation test. He actually hated the thing, it had hurt his girl. Rei meant everything to him, that was why he was going to be put through the grinder and train under Asuka and Shinji. If Rei was going to be put in danger then he would be next to her as her partner and protector.

Giving the EVAs one last glance they left and made their way to the command deck. When they arrived they found not only Misato there but Shinji and Asuka. The married couple nodded to them as Rei introduced the boy to the bridge bunnies. Shigeru and Makoto shook his hand firmly and asked him a few questions as to how he liked what he had seen so far. Kensuke replied honestly and noticed one of the men had been reading a manga. He was surprised the he was allowed but Misato just said unless there was an alert or drill the crew were allowed to pass time as they wanted.

As he was introduced to Maya Kensuke noticed how cute she was, and how young looking, he was finding it hard to believe that she was old enough to drive let alone work fir NERV. As he said his hellos to her a thoughtful look came over her face.

"I know you have to start training in the morning but Dr. Akagi and I need to see you for a physical exam," she informed the boy.

Hearing this Asuka snorted, "Make sure you have Shinji or Rei with you or Frau Dr. Mengele may want to experiment on you with some kind of drugs, seeing as we pilots are now off limits."

Kensuke scowled at the Dr.'s assistant and turned to Misato, "Would it be possible to have my physical done in the main medical wing? I don't wish to around anyone that has hurt Rei."

Misato thought for a minute before a voice interrupt the conversation, "Lt. Aida will be seen at ten in the main medical wing. As he's not a pilot he's not the Dr.'s concern."

Shinji turned and looked up to face his father, before he said anything Kensuke spoke up, "Thank you commander, for that and allowing me to watch over Rei."

Gendo looked past his glasses at the boy as well as his son, daughter in law and surrogate daughter, "You understand that your duties include protecting not just Rei but all the pilots, correct?"

"Yes sir," came the answer.

"Good, I expect to see you succeed in your training. My daughter in law can be a task master and my son is the best there is, so I'm told," hearing the compliments Shinji frowned but held his tongue as Asuka blushed at the words.

Before he could speak Shinji was stopped by Gendo's voice, "Captain Sagara, I know we are no longer close but you've done an excellent job not only as a pilot but protecting the Second Child as well," seeing the confused look on his son's face Gendo continued in a softer voice, "Shinji, you've done well for yourself, if you have the time I'd like to...well..."

Shinji nodded in understanding, the man was asking for a chance and so far had not done anything against him. Maybe at some point he could spare some time with him, he loved his parents, they had raised him in what became a loving house after all, but still deep down Shinji had a need to be recognized by his real father. Looking up he held the man's gaze for moment and made his reply, "When things settle a little more, sure, Asuka and I would like that."

With that the man faded into the dark once more. Rei then lead Kensuke down the the firing range and kill house. Kensuke was in awe, he had read about them and seen pictures but he was standing in a real building used for practicing close quarter battles. Soon he would be actually using it to learn his new trade. Since it was just him and Rei he was bouncing around like a five year old with a sugar rush. Rei was just watching calmly with a small smile gracing her lips.

At the same time on the command deck Shinji and his wife were trying hard not to laugh as they watched one of the security monitors as it fed the image of NERV's newest officer acting just like the kid he is. After watching for a few minutes more the couple made their way to the locker room to change into clothes more suitable for tonight's dinner.

As they were changing Asuka heard the door open and saw Rei enter. Shinji had already dressed but was sitting on the bench waiting for his wife to finish. Seeing Rei walk past them Asuka raised he eye brow, "Hey Sis!" she called out catching Rei's attention, "Where you going? Your locker is over here by mine!"

Stopping the girl turned to face her sister in law, "I moved it to this side of the room with Kensuke's."

Asuka looked at her puzzled, "Oh? Why'd you do that?"

"I didn't think it would be good for him and you to see each other changing especially your plug suit and I don't think Shinji want's to see his sister in the nude," Rei answered with a hint of red on her cheeks.

"Oh oka...ohhh, yeah I can understand that, my Baka can be a little perv sometimes," Asuka shot back with her own cheeks turning red.

/

It was around eight in the evening when the four teens left the Geo-front. Loading up into Shinji's car once again they found themselves in the entertainment district and having dinner at what had become Asuka's favorite place. Since NERV was a multinational entity it made sense that there would be establishments to cater to the various expatriates that worked there. This place catered to the few German employees of NERV but it was Weber that tipped Asuka off to it's location.

Kensuke watched in amazement as Asuka devoured her meal making sounds that should be confined to the bedroom. Shinji just took it in stride knowing that later tonight that's exactly where they'd be. Rei was blushing and along with Kensuke's slight nosebleed was making an amusing sight to the married couple as they remembered the games they played in the US. Once Asuka finished her Black Forrest cake she looked at her student for the next few weeks.

"So, be dressed out and ready to go in the gym at seven in the morning. We'll be doing conditioning for a couple hours and then we'll be going to the medical wing for your physical," she told him.

"Okay but what about school?" he asked, "I can't fall behind in my school work."

Asuka snorted, "Pfftt! School work, your absence has been cleared and Hikari has agreed to have Toji bring your homework and notes to you at the end of the day."

"Homework? Toji's notes? Asuka, I don't know if you've noticed but although Toji is my friend he's not the sharpest tool in the drawer. I mean he's the dumb jock that dumb jocks make jokes about" Kensuke cried, afraid that using his friends notes would drop him back to junior high.

Seeing his distress Rei took his hand to calm him down, "I don't have anything scheduled for NERV in the next few weeks, I'll give you my notes and help you."

Hearing this Kensuke calmed down and the dinner ended on a pleasant note. Shinji dropped his sister and her boyfriend off at her place and continued home.

Seven rolled around and Asuka met Kensuke in the gym for their work out. Before they began Asuka gave Kensuke his training schedule, on Monday, Wednesday and Friday it was a warm up, calisthenics and weight training in the morning with martial arts in the afternoon. He would be trained in SAMBO as she and Shinji had been. Ideally Shinji would like to have had Rei trained in the mixed martial art as well but she had grown learning Jujitsu and Karate, it would be next impossible to have learn a new form.

On the remaining days it would be running and weight training. The first weeks were also for familiarization of his weapons and how to maintain them. The rest of the day was made up of classes in how to spot a tail, losing a threat in any situation and planning and executing a counter to a given situation. It was lots of class work until the third week, that was when Kensuke was allowed to use the kill house for the first time.

By then Shinji had came down along with Misato to watch. Asuka gave the boy a scenario to get Rei out of a building that had numerous hostiles in it. Aida had to clear threats while making sure Rei was ushered safely to the exit and handed over to section two back up. It was a timed exercise with a fifteen minute window. As Shinji and the others watched he began talking to Asuka.

"So, how do you think he's going to do?" he asked Asuka.

"I think he'll clear it but he'll take the whole quarter hour," she replied.

Hearing that Misato chimed in, "Really? How so?"

"Well, believe it or not, Kensuke knows not to rush and he's really protective of Rei," Asuka told her big sister while watching the monitors as the boy in question cleared a hallway and seeing only head shots on the training dummies.

"How about his physical training? How much endurance does he have?" Shinji asked.

"Oh, he's more than fine in that area, he surprised me when we did a two mile run and he hadn't broke a sweat," she told him.

Once the exercise was done Kensuke was debriefed by Shinji. The lead pilot and senior bodyguard did not pull his punches when he critiqued the other males performance, going over every step the young man had taken and pointing out things that he had missed that could've killed him or Rei. As brutal as it was Shinji knew that if he started out hard things would be better in the long run for Aida. After all the happened Shinji was neither comfortable or forgiving enough to call Kensuke by his first name again, in time perhaps but not now. 'Better to let the guy know he's still in the shit with me', he thought.

Debrief done Kensuke was allowed a half hour lunch before the next scenario. Rei had joined him, she was his one bright spot in this whole ordeal. He knew that out of his circle of friends only Rei was showing him any kind of warmth, but even then her demeanor would grow cold if he lapsed into his otaku persona.

As the week ended Kensuke was looking to the weekend. He and the pilots were excused from the Saturday half session the rest of the class faced and that time was intended for him to relax and put training to the back of his mind. And that he did, the only thing on his mind was taking Rei out on a date. As he was relaxing Shinji and Asuka were on their bikes for a ride across town.

/

Pulling up to their destination Asuka removed her helmet and shook her hair loose. Running a brush through it a few times she watched as Shinji laughed, "It's fine and they're family, you don't need to go all out to impress them."

Sticking her tongue out Asuka snarked back, "You think I look good in a potato sack and my hair like a rat's nest."

Kissing her lightly he laughed, "You may just be right Asu-chan, you may be right."

As they made their way to the house Asuka noticed that it was rather large and had quite yard and garden behind the high wall that hid the property from the street.

As they got halfway the couple heard a high pitched yet child like voice call out, "Shinji-kun?"

Looking up the boy smiled, "Auntie? It's good to see yo...oof!"

Shinji was cut off as a young looking woman glomped onto him at full speed, "Shinji! It is you! Stand up, let me look at you," she ordered.

As this was going on Asuka watched as her husband was all but tackled by a girl that looked to be her age but had been called 'auntie'. 'What the hell was going on and who is that,' she thought.

Getting his bearings Shinji took his wife's hand, "Aunt Kyoko, this is my wife Asuka. Asuka this is my adopted aunt Kazama Kyoko."

Asuka was stunned, the woman before her was short and had not only a girlish face but aside from her bust, a girlish figure as well. Her light brown hair was in a high pony tail and she wore glasses over her expressive brown eyes.

"Pleased to meet you," Asuka said as she gave the older woman a slight bow, "How do you know my husband if you don't mind me asking?"

"Oh, his mother Kaname and I go way back to middle school and my husband and I were two of Sousuke's first friends in old Tokyo," she answered.

"Oh, so you're the person he called a few days after we got here then."

"Yes, and it certainly took you some time to come and see us too Sagara Shinji."

Blushing a bit Shinji hugged the woman as he spoke to her, "Sorry auntie, things have been very...busy for the two of us."

"It's fine Shinji but uncle has been curious about that favor you mentioned."

"Yeah, about that, is he home by chance?"

"In his office, why don't you go see him, I want to get to know my new niece better, Kana told me she was pretty but I didn't know you married an idol like your father."

Hearing that caused Asuka to blush as she watched her husband vanish into the house before him. Turning to the older woman she was taken aback as she saw the evil grin on her face as Kyoko pulled a camera out from thin air.

"So Asuka-chan, tell me about yourself and how you and my little nephew met."

/

Shinji made his way into the house heading for his uncle's office. Kazama Shinji was not only his father's best friend but a retired JASDF arm-slave pilot. In fact he was one of Japans few AS aces, killing at least 30 enemies in the Sino Territories war that took place shortly after Second Impact. The elder Shinji had acquitted his family name after his father had fallen in the first battle, living up to his disgraced cousin's legacy as the top ace in the Aslan Civil War. That Kazama had shot down nearly one hundred enemy aircraft before falling himself in the final aerial battle of that war.

Shinji was had always been in awe of his uncle, he was a war hero like his father, an Ace and held in both Mithril and the SDF the rank of Colonel. So as he made his way to the man's lair as he called it he desperately tried to find the words needed for his favor and not offend the man.

As he knocked on the doorway the elder Shinji turned with a smile, "Ahhh, so, my wayward nephew has finally come to see this old man."

Lowering his head Shinji softly replied, "Sorry uncle, I would have come earlier but things have been quite hectic lately."

"Shinji, you need not apologize, after all, you have done stellar work fighting the Angels," seeing the look on the boys face the man laughed, "I'm still in contact with the SDF let alone the fact that I'm a member of Mithril. So it should be no surprise that I know of your mission as well as your new duties."

"Sorry uncle, you took me by surprise that's all."

"No harm, no foul as they say in America I believe. So tell me, how's married life? Kaname can't stop raving about your wife and your dad had told me once that if he had to rate her like we did to the girls in school she's second to Kaname and just a bit prettier than Kyoko."

"Words don't do her justice as you'll soon find out uncle, I brought her with me by the way, she's talking to aunt Kyoko right now."

"Talking, HA! More like being interrogated, you know how she is, but down to business. Kyoko mentioned you had a favor to ask of me, is this correct?"

"Yes, before we came here I found out that I have a half sister, Rei. When we first saw her Asuka-chan and I met her boyfriend and..."

"You weren't impressed were you?"

"No, he's an otaku in the worst way and I fear he'll do something stupid."

"How bad is he? I mean what's his interest and how obsessive is he with it?"

Sighing Shinji braced for the worst, "You know how you got when your class got hijacked to North Korea?" seeing the man nod his head Shinji continued, "Three to four times as bad. He told a classmate that I was an EVA pilot and that kid tried to fight me because his sister had gotten hurt in the first battle."

"That bad huh? I take it there's more?"

"Yes, he talked his best friend to sneak out of the shelter they were in so he could see me fight the next angel that had appeared. I almost flattened them when I was thrown into the mountainside. Because I had to stop fighting and let them into my unit I almost lost that battle. In the debrief Asuka and I had words and split up for a few days and...well..."

"You needn't say any more, I get the picture. So what of this favor?"

"Could you maybe speak to him? As it is he begged and made enough trouble that we had to read him in and make him a bodyguard for Rei but I don't know if that's enough."

Standing the man rested his hand on his nephews shoulder, "I know you feel that you're going to hurt my feelings but Shinji, I am an otaku even to this day. Look around you, is this the office of an AS ace or the room of a middle school aged boy?" Shinji took in the rooms contents, there were shelves filled with models of every kind of military vehicle from ships to tanks to aircraft and the latest arm-slaves. In one corner of the room was a diorama of the Japanese variant of the M9 Gernsback, the Type 01 Katana, surrounded by Chinese copies of the Soviet Savage AS as it stood over the fallen hulk of a fellow Type 81 .

Shinji recognized the scene, it was from the opening battle of the war, it was how they had found his uncle, protecting his fallen father from their foes. The man had lived but his injuries had ended his career and cut short his life. His uncle followed the teens line of sight, it was a day he would like to forget but the diorama was a gift from his fellow geeks from school. Sighing he turned to his nephew.

"That...was the day I grew up. Before then I was ashamed of my father because he and his unit would always lose the annual war games to his rival. But on that day...on that day his rival broke and ran in disgrace but my old man, he held his ground until my combat team were able to come to his aid."

"That was the day you became a double ace wasn't it?"

"Yes, it was also the day I left my childhood and my foolish obsession behind. My old man only lived to see me and Kyoko get married, too bad he'll never see his grandchildren when they come."

"Grandchildren? So you and Kyo..."

"No, not yet, not from lack of trying. You look at her and think how innocent she looks, but get her in the mood and she'll put you and your wife to shame, what? Don't give me those looks, your escapades are legend in Mithril, even Kurz in jealous of you," the elder Shinji laughed lightening the mood.

"So, this kid..."

"Kensuke, his name is Aida Kensuke uncle."

"This Kensuke kid, you think he needs a good talking to? Fine, I've nothing planned Monday afternoon, bring him by. I think I can give him some words of wisdom, anything for my favorite nephew."

The rest of the afternoon was spent catching up and teasing the teens. Kyoko had her camera out and was taking picture after picture of the two. It was for the Sagaras a relaxing afternoon where for a short while they could be kids once again. They both took advantage of this chance, too soon they knew it would be time to face battle one more time, whenever that time would happen.

 **A/N**

 *** Ogive, (pr. Oh-jive) the proper name for the rounded nose on any kind of projectile. Most commonly used in relation to to general purpose bombs such as the Mk 80 series. In this case the ogive is a solid steel plug that is screwed into the nose fuze well to allow for deeper penetration of a target. The bomb's tail well contains it's fuze in this case and is set with a time delay in milli-seconds instead of detonating upon impact.**

 **Okay, so this lacks action or fan service, sorry about that but not every chapter can have those things. If they did it would make for an overall predictable and boring story.**

 **While this is a filler chapter I needed to show Kensuke getting integrated into NERV and Mithril and let him have his dream come true. Too bad it'll turn to a nightmare real soon.**

 **Also, Shinji and Asuka's situation still needed to be resolved. While it's not what they really wanted both figured that it would be the best compromise and shut Misato up, at least for a short while.**

 **I also wanted to finally introduce some more of Shinji's extended family. While Shinji is adopted he calls is parents friends 'aunt' or 'uncle'. This is not a mistake on my part but deliberate. I write especially this part from my Navy background, both as a Navy brat and as a Sailor myself. This is true for anyone in the service, at some point in life you'll have friends that have kids of their own and those brats will eventually call you aunt or uncle as you will be around them more than their blood family. Oh, if they don't do it your Shipmate and wife will.**

 **Having said that, I have some of my fathers Shipmates from his time in the sixties that I still call uncle and my daughters call my own Shipmates aunt and uncle themselves, at the same time I have my own nieces and nephews that call me uncle even though I retired 18 years ago and me and their fathers have gone down different paths. Shinji in this case is not all that different from what I know in real life.**

 **Kazama Shinji and his wife are from Full Metal Panic. They are Sousuke and Kaname's best friends respectively. From both canon and fan fiction it would, to me, make sense that they find employment or some form of involvement with Mithril post Second Impact. The estranged relative mentioned, Kazama Shin, is from the manga Area88 penned in the early eighties. In the original anime OAVs it's left to the viewer to decide in their mind if he lives or dies but in the manga his death is more of a given fact. I wanted to include him as Shinji in FMP was a nod to him.**

 **The next chapter will show how Rei and Kensuke spend their day off and Kensuke will get a talk that hopefully will change is life. This will also be the last chapter before we get to the fifth angel and Rei's entry to the Angel War. How will Kensuke do when he see's the girl of his dreams change into her plug suit? I'll let you hang for a chapter before that happens.**

 **Before I get to the last thoughts on this chapter let me take time to plug the works of two authors on this site. The first is Toasterman's "A Glass Of Wine Rebuilt". The original story died with it's author's untimely demise and thus never finished. Toasterman has taken onto himself to rewrite and finish the late Saturn94's story. The original story is where I got the idea for Kensuke in this story. After an almost three hundred day delay this story is back on track.**

 **Next is 7thManiacs stories, "Three Children From The End Of Days", "Toy Soldier" and "Fireteam Tokyo". All are Evangelion based and very well written. The first is a crossover with Naruto in which Shinji is adopted by the Third Hokage and the girls share not only his house but him as well. The next is, while not a crossover, influenced heavily by Gunslinger Girl, I'll leave it to you to discover his situation. The last is a post 3I story that again you need to read as I couldn't do it justice describing it to you.**

 **Now last and certainly least, now that Gendo has made an overture of peace to his son, what will Shinji do? Especially since Asuka has confided in both Rei and Kensuke her opinion of the man's recent actions. Find out in the next exiting Bat Chapter. Same Bat Time, Same Bat Channel.**


	5. Chapter 5 Good Girls Don't, But I Do

Welcome To The Machine

Chap 5

Good Girls Don't, But I do

Kensuke Aida sighed happily as he sank into his girlfriends couch. He had just completed a month in hell, otherwise known as training under the Red Devil herself, Asuka Soryu-Sagara. While it wasn't as bad as it looked there were days that he regretted his wanting to be like Rei's brother and sister in law. The physical training and conditioning part wasn't that bad, as an avid camper and airsoft player he was in fairly good shape. It was the hand to hand combat form known as Systema, that was the killer, not only to his body but also his mind. Something about having a 105 pound 15 year old red haired girl kick your ass on a daily basis would do that to you.

Kensuke also realized that while an exacting task master, Asuka was good at her job and actually taught the teen better than anyone else he knew. She not only taught him hand to hand combat but firearms as well. Kensuke was a little depressed as the first two sessions were classroom instruction as all the weapons he would be either issued or cleared for use were covered. When he was actually allowed to shoot on the range he at first reverted to his weapon otaku nature. It was when Asuka had taken the pistol from his hands while giving him a look that was half disappointment and half disapproval did he begin to take things seriously.

All in all the last month was a very intense learning period. Now he was enjoying his time off before having to return to school. Rei had went into the kitchen for a minute to get her and Kensuke something to drink and on her return found her boyfriend looking at his newly issued Mithril/NERV identity card. He was one of only four students of Tokyo 3 High School that was issued one. While it was a status symbol of sorts he was not to flash it around. The whole idea of him being Rei's bodyguard was to be a closely guarded secret, he was an unknown part of her protection equation and will remain so for as long as possible.

As he lay on the couch thinking his cell phone rang. The caller ID said 'Unknown' but that meant nothing these days as it could be a contact from NERV or the section two detail in and around their building, he having moved in with his girlfriend during the last few days. It was convenient for his new station in life and actually had the blessing of not only the commander and Rei's father figure but her brother and sister in law's as well. His own father had mixed feelings as ever since the death of his wife nearly fifteen years ago in a mysterious laboratory 'accident' it had just been him and his only son. On the one hand he was proud that his boy had been more or less hand picked for an important duty as the last line of defense for a girl that was important to the world and it's fate, but at the same time worried that Kensuke stood a very good chance of being hurt or killed doing his duty. All things considered though the elder Aida knew this was what his son wanted to do and he actually had begun to love Rei as a daughter so reluctantly he gave his blessing to both of them to make their mark on the world. In fact the elder of the Aida's had went furniture shopping with the pair and signed the contracts on the purchases since his son had yet to receive his NERV ID card. So as it was Kensuke and Rei were now sharing a two bedroom apartment in Tokyo3 that was close to school, Rei's brother, Misato and Kaji and last but not least access through the building's basement to the Geo Front.

Sighing he answered on the fourth ring, "Hello, who's calling?"

"Is this Aida Kensuke?" the voice on the other end asked. While older sounding the voice had a friendly tone to it so Kensuke acknowledged his caller,

"Yes, this is he, what's the nature of this call?"

"Good morning then," Kensuke could almost see the smile of the man calling, "My name is Kazama Shinji, I'm a friend of Sagara Shinji and his parents, he asked that I arrange a meeting with you."

Hearing the name startled Kensuke, the man on the other end was one of post 2I Japan's greatest heroes, it's first Arm Slave triple Ace, and he was asking to meet him, a nobody kid named Kensuke. After a moment his brain rebooted and before he went full otaku he took a deep breath and let it out.

"General Kazama-dono, I would be honored to meet you but I'm curious as to why."

"Shinji-kun is like a nephew to me and your name came up while we were last talking. He noted that you and I had a few similar interests and that we should meet. Since I don't see him that much these days I figured it wouldn't hurt to meet with his friends, especially since they have a common, should we say occupational interest as he and his father?"

Kensuke swallowed, his duties were supposed to be a secret and here's a retired JGSDF general hinting that he knew of it. Before he could ask Kazama continued,

"Don't worry about how I know things, I'm one of Sousuke's coworkers as well as his best friend from high school. How about you and Shinji's sister meet me and my wife this afternoon? I'll text you the address you can request a car from NERV's motor pool. It's one of your perks if you've not been told, so see you for a late lunch?"

After a moment of thought Kensuke gave his answer, "Sure, that'll give us time to get properly dressed and have the car ready."

Kazama laughed at that, "So, it sounds like you're adjusting to your new situation well, I remember that Shinji-kun's parents when they finally got their stuff together would laze around that apartment of theirs in the mornings. Oh well, can't be young forever, see you in a bit."

"Yes General, Rei and I will see you soon," with that Kensuke closed the connection and looked at his girlfriend who just returned from the kitchen.

"Ken? Are you alright? Who was on the phone?" Rei asked seeing how her boyfriend was spacing out.

"Huh? Oh Rei, I'm fine it's just that we got invited to have a late lunch with one of your brother's friends. Ever hear of Kazama Shinji?"

"He's Japan's first triple Arm Slave Ace, I believe that he was named for an uncle that was a mercenary fighter pilot during the Aslan civil war, Kazama Shin I believe. If I remember correctly he was a multiple fighter ace with over eighty air to air kills and many more destroyed ground targets, why do you ask?"

"Okay, first how do you all that and second, that was him on the phone," Aida answered.

"I believe I have met him in the past and I was required to know all about the JSDF and JSSDF officers of the rank of Colonel and above. My fa...the Commander required it of me since he entertained many of them while Tokyo3 and NERV were being readied for operation."

"Yeah, that would explain it," Kensuke said more to himself before looking at his girl, "Anyway, somehow I need to request a car from the motor pool to take us to his place and we need to get dressed for the visit."

Rei smiled at the thought of meeting someone that knew her brother, there was so much that she didn't know about him so she was looking forward to this lunch, "Get in the shower, I'll have a car show up in an hour."

"Okay but don't you have to shower too?" Kensuke asked.

Rei smiled wider, "Silly, that's why I made sure our bath is so big."

As his grin got wider than a Cheshire Cat's the teen boy ran to the bathroom to start the water. As he was doing that Rei was on the phone to arrange for their ride before she joined her boyfriend. With a final call to inform S2 of their afternoon plans she walked to the shower that was already running.

Two hours later the teens arrived at their destination in a quiet residential district. Walking through the open gate they were greeted by a man in his thirties of medium height and build with medium brown hair and glasses. While he was approaching middle age the man appeared very fit. Seeing his guests enter the front yard he greeted them with a big smile.

"Ahh, welcome to my home Aida-san, Ayanami-san, I'm Kazama Shinji."

Both teens bowed in respect to the living legend as Kensuke spoke, "We're honored to be here Kazama-dono. I'm Aida Kensuke as you know, this is my girlfriend and Shinji's sister Ayanami Rei. Pardon our intrusion."

"Not at all, you're always welcome. Please this way, my wife is just setting down our lunch. I hope you like western food, Kyoko is trying out a recipe that Kaname, Shinji's mother sent her. And please, it's just Shinji nowadays, at least out of uniform."

As they entered the rather large and spacious house Kazama called out, "Kyoko, our guests have arrived. Is everything ready?"

"Yes, take your seats I'm bringing out the final dish," replied a female voice that sounded like a young girl in her early teens.

Entering the dining area Kensuke was surprised to see a woman in pigtails and large framed but fashionable glasses setting a serving bowl filled with what looked like some kind of potato on the table. Shinji caught the confused look in Kensuke's eyes and laughed a bit.

"My childhood friend, high school sweet heart and wife Kyoko. Kyoko, Ayanami Rei and her boyfriend Aida Kensuke."

All three bowed at the introductions before Kyoko spoke up, "A pleasure to meet you two, now please sit and enjoy the meal. I hope you like beef, Kaname sent me the recipe for...what did she call it Shinji-kun?"

"I believe she called it a pot roast," her husband answered.

"Yes, of course. Anyway, there's the roast, mashed potatoes with gravy and some steamed veggies. Kana-chan likes to use green beans but Shinji-kun likes this better," the woman said as she pointed out the various foods and condiments on the table.

As everyone sat down Kyoko looked at the teen girl across from her, "So Rei, I understand that you're Shinji-kun's little sister?"

"Yes, we, Kensuke and I, found out a while ago before I contacted Shinji, I kept putting it off thinking he would reject me but he didn't."

"That's not surprising, his parents raised him to have an open mind and a big heart. We've known him since he was a small boy, about six years old and he would spend time with us when his classes were on break. After lunch I can show you his room, I don't think he'll be staying here anymore since he and his wife have their own place," Kyoko told the girl.

The lunch was filling and leisurely and all four parties enjoyed the conversation. Soon it was over however and as Shinji and Kensuke walked towards his office Rei helped Kyoko clear the table and then helped clean up. The males by then had entered the office and Shinji had Kensuke take a seat.

Sitting down himself Shinji began to speak, "So, Kensuke, Shinji-kun has indicated that we have a common interest and I'd like to talk about it if you don't mind.

Looking around the room Kensuke saw countless models of military hardware and dioramas including the event that gained the older man his first taste of fame. Over on a wall a collection of airsoft guns were displayed and on another wall sat a shelf of various cameras from early film using models to the latest digital devices. In a word the teen was awed.

"Sure, he replied, "let's talk, is that an M9 Gernsback that you're working on?"

"Yes, my third in fact. Not too many were made before the country was sucked into a war that we didn't want. What about this one, recognize it? How about this one? He asked as held up an model AS with what looked like a plume of hair erupting from it's head."

Kensuke looked hard but finally shook his head in defeat, "No, I'm sorry but I don't think I've ever seen those, what are they something from foreign military's?"

Letting out a small laugh Kazama shook his head, "No, not officially that is. I'm not surprised that you don't know about them. This one is the AXR7 Arbalest, there was only one made and it was piloted back then by an unknown mercenary by the name of Sgt. Sagara Sousuke, Shinji's father when he was about a year or two older than you. The other was never given a model number, not that we know of. It was code named the Venom and Sousuke, according to Kaname, battled three at one time in the Hong Kong Incident. I'm sure you've read about it."

"All I remember was that it was instigated by three unknown AS's thought to be operated by the North and they were countered by a prototype from the South. But, that's not the true story is it?"

"No, the Venom's were led by a madman trying to find and defeat a fourth Venom whose pilot was loyal to a former member of his organization, Amalgam. Sousuke fought the Amalgam units in the Arbalest in the employ of Mithril."

"Those were trying days, not that we were never threatened, we were at least three times that most of us know of, but prior to that incident Sousuke had been recalled from his assignment and Kaname was left unguarded. She was almost killed but she proved better than her stalker. Eventually she found out where Sagara was and helped him defeat his foes. Afterwards there was a meeting and Sagara had offered to take a cut in pay to be able to stay with Kaname, Mithril agreed. Except for the year or so when she had been kidnapped those two have been together ever since. Now I suppose you're wondering why I told you this, right?"

"Well a little although I appreciate the history lesson. I'd never heard of those two AS's before today," Kensuke answered.

"The reason is this, you are going to be hearing and seeing things that nobody needs to know about outside of NERV and Mithril, who you actually work for. Shinji has told me about you and your friends misadventure and and stay in NERV's brig. You need to reign in your curiosity and your...otaku nature, if not you'll put not only Shinji in danger but his wife, sister and yourself as well."

Kensuke was quiet for a while after that statement, it had really hit home, especially after the incident during Shinji's second battle. He never had really thought of the consequences of his actions, now he had to, for the safety of Rei and her family's sake. He was beginning to understand Shinji's temperament and why he looked like he was pissed off 24/7 anytime he was not in his, Misato's or Rei's home, the teen had to take into account every unknown variable to his and his family's safety every time they left their homes. Only now did he understand.

"So," Kensuke began, "you said you went to school with his father, was Shinji's dad as uptight as he is?"

That question produced a laugh from the elder male, "No, not at all," hearing that Aida began to relax until Kazama continued, "Sousuke was worse. Most times he looked like he had swallowed vinegar and would more likely shoot first before understanding the threat or in most cases lack of one. Back then it seemed that his motto was 'When in doubt, blow it up," Kensuke noted that the older man actually let loose a little laugh at that memory.

Kensuke kept quiet as he sensed there was more to the story, he was right, "Kaname, Kyoko and I thought that Sousuke was an otaku that was a little too involved with his hobby, actually the whole school thought that way. Boy, were we wrong. Look, it's a long story and when we have more time I'll tell you what I know, but look up the hijacking and rescue of the Jindai High class trip, during that time Shinji's mom was taken off the airliner by the hijackers and some how Sousuke was able to sneak off and find her. He also contacted Mithril and arranged for our rescue but in the chaos he and Kaname as well as a fellow Mithril AS driver were left behind."

"Well, as you can tell everything worked out but at the beginning of the ordeal do you want to know what was going through my mind?"

"No, what?" Aida asked genuinely interested.

"I was actually crying in happiness at seeing the old equipment and early AS models the county we landed in had. To me it was a once in a lifetime thing, it wasn't until our sensei, I believe she's your sensei now, had a gun to her head that it dawned that we might all be killed. It wasn't until later that I and Kyoko read the report on that incident as well as the one one our Christmas class trip."

That got Kensuke thinking, how did this man know so much of Shinji's old man's missions anyway? "Kazama-san, I'm wondering how you know so much about Sagara-san's missions anyway. Were the reports shared with the GSDF?"

"Oh no, we didn't learn anything until just after I was released from national service and the post 2I wars were over. You see, at that time only a few places were hiring Vets like myself and degree holders like my wife, the UN, NERV and Mithril. Because of Sousuke and Kaname who recruited us, we chose Mithril. And the reason I know so much about you is that we're still employed and are Shinji-kun's case managers, just like we are with you.

Meanwhile Rei had finished helping Kyoko clean up from lunch and was now looking into the room her brother would stay in while visiting Japan as a child. Casting her eyes about they landed on toys a small boy would play with as well as a small study desk and a bookcase filled with not only reference and fiction hard and paperback books but manga volumes as well. One thing she noticed that was missing were there were no toy guns a young male would normally play with. As she neared the bed she swore that she could detect her brother's scent. Turning she saw Kyoko smiling at her,

"You look so much like him, well except the hair and eyes of course. This was and always will be Shinji's room, well until my husband and I can get our family going."

"I see," replied the blue haired girl, "are you two just putting it off for a later date?"

Kyoko shook her head, "No, when I was in my last year in school this group, Amalgam, decided to take Kaname hostage. Sousuke tried to save her and the rest of us but I was injured when a bomb went off and it sent a large chunk of metal into my body. Some of the damage done was to my reproductive organs, at first the doctors said the damage wasn't that bad. Well, over the years the scarring got worse. One of the reasons we both joined Mithril was because of the contacts it has with medical facilities so hopefully..."

"I see," Rei replied as the other woman trailed off, it all made sense now, "So, I guess that Shinji-kun is not just a child that spent his time here?"

"No, although he was seven when he first stayed he's like a son to both of us," Kyoko replied, "in fact should anything happen to Kaname and Sousuke Shinji-kun would become our ward since we're his God parents. Well, second set as Sousuke's teammates are his god parents as well, see, Shinji and I watch over him while he's here in Japan. His father's friends do the same on the island they all are stationed at."

"My brother is very lucky to have as many people in his life that love and care for him. His real father had planned to socially isolate him and make so starved for love and attention that my brother would be easily manipulated. I'm grateful that you and your husband made sure that he knows he's loved and wanted as he grew up," Rei told the older woman before looking around the room a little more closely, "I see that he's got plenty of toys but I don't see..."

"Toy guns?" at that Rei nodded as Kyoko continued, "He, his siblings and friends on the Island aren't allowed to have them. They've been exposed to real ones all their lives so their parents, Kaname especially, decided to keep those toys out of their playthings. I don't know if it was a lie to soothe the guilt of their parents or a true desire to keep the children children for as long as possible, but my husband and I honored Kana and Sousuke's wishes. When Shinji would come here with his mom that ban was continued."

Rei smiled at that tidbit, she was learning more and more about Shinji and with all she had learned the closer she felt to him. In fact this was the most at one time that she'd found out about his early years. It pained her to know that she could never tell him the real story of her early life, having been made from both human and angel DNA made that impossible.

As she and Kyoko continued to talk and get to know one another her attention turned to her boyfriend. Shinji had warned her about today's meeting. Kensuke was still too much of an otaku for his liking and he hoped that this talk, a meeting of the minds so to speak, would finally break him of it. A hobby or two were nice, that's a given, lord knows he and Asuka had a few, but he went beyond hobbies into obsessions and that could not continue. Not if he wanted to keep Rei safe and be a backup to himself.

As that was going on the males were winding down their conversation. Kensuke was still stunned at finding out his case manager, the person that would call the shots should a mission come in from Mithril that needed to be handled was the man in front of him. He hadn't thought of that happening and if what he had heard about some of Shinji's missions were true then people would die.

Seeing the distressed look on the boy's face Kazama began to understand, "I know what you're thinking when I said 'missions'. Anything that you've heard regarding Shinji-kun's assignments is true, but you won't be going on things like that. Simply put, Shinji had better and more intensive training than you and he started at age eight. Anything I assign to you will be primarily intel gathering or preliminary recon, I heard you're quite the hacker getting into NERV as many times as you've done. Rei is a perfect cover for a physical, boots on the ground recon of a store or eatery since no one ever suspects two kids your age on a date so don't worry about killing someone."

Kensuke nodded and was going to reply before he was cut off, "I'd like to go on but it's getting late and I have an important meeting in the morning in Kyoto so it was very nice meeting you and Rei. Let me show you the way out."

Rei and Kyoko met their mates at the door just as the motor pool car pulled up, Kensuke figured it was his girlfriend that called for it. Saying their good byes the four parted ways and the teens left for a movie in the city center. As the car pulled out of sight Kazama pulled out his cell phone. Hitting a number on his speed dial he spoke as it was answered on the second ring,

"It's me...No, as your dad would say, it's not a problem...I think I got to him, but you were right, he is worse than me...Your sister is one of a kind and he is very attentive to her so I think you made the right choice for her protection...Okay thanks, hey, I have a meeting with your mom and dad in Kyoto early in the morning, want to pass on a message?...Okay Shinji, I'll tell them, say hi to your sensei for me...You too, goodnight."

Rei and Kensuke had the driver take them to the entertainment district. On the way they had called Toji and Hikari and asked that they meet them there. Both of their friends readily agreed since they had hardly seen Kensuke in the past month. Their wait was short as the NERV vehicle pulled up and let the two teens inside step out. Rei leaned back in and told the driver that she would call when they were ready to go home and to bring a car suitable for four people.

Toji walked up and slapped his friend on the shoulder, "Ken my man! So, I see the Red Devil didn't steal your soul, how you feeling?"

"Oh, just fine," the teen answered, "and Asuka isn't that bad once you get to know her. She's tough though, I'll tell you that, boy is she tough."

"Oh? And how badly did you lose to her?" his friend asked with a grin.

"Well, at first she was mopping the floor with me almost every day but as the weeks went on I got better. Look, I'm no expert like Shinji or Asuka but I'm getting there. I've got the basics down and I have training every other day during the week so it's not like I can slack off," Kensuke replied.

Hearing the boys talk about more or less work Hikari turned to Rei, "So how improved is he? I mean he's got an edge to him now doesn't he?"

Rei looked at her boyfriend and blushed a little, Hikari was right, the last month had toughened up Kensuke and he looked it, "He, he was strong before hand but now, he now has the start of a six pack. I'm afraid that the girls in our class might begin to want him should they ever see him without his shirt on."

Hikari patted her friend on the shoulder, "Don't worry Rei, they had their chance years ago. How long has he been with you?"

"Since primary school, It wasn't until middle school that we started dating," Rei answered.

"Well see, you two were the first ones in our class to start dating and you're still together. How many couples have split up in the last year? Too many that's how many, you and Kensuke are the most stable and loving couple in class, well aside from your brother and Asuka as well as Toji and I of course," Hikari told the girl.

"Hey, speaking of your brother, is it true that him and the Devil were caught doing the deed in an amusement park?" Toji asked Rei before getting smacked by his own girlfriend.

"Yes," came the answer but what surprised the other couple was what came next, "they were getting intimate when some people tried to kill them. Shinji was able to protect Asuka and both killed their attackers. There are pictures of the incident, Captain Katsuragi tried to keep me from seeing them but Kensuke was able to hack in and get copies. They were most interesting, weren't they Kensuke?"

"You mean that your brother and Asuka... in public? With people around?" asked a shocked and scandalized Hikari.

"Oh yes, they are very loving to each other and show it to the other whenever the mood strikes," Rei replied innocently, "I can't wait until Kensuke and I are able to become that close."

At that point Hikari wisely decided to drop the subject but not before hitting Toji one last time for getting a massive nosebleed. The foursome walked to the cinema and purchased tickets for a revival of "Blade Runner", it was just about they only sci-fi film that the others outside of Rei could tolerate. As the theater was one of the older ones, built just after the Second World War, it had a balcony so that's where the two couples sat.

Just as the lights went down for the movie to start the foursome heard a couple moving behind them taking their seats. At first all anyone could hear was the movie but over time faint moans could be heard from the couple behind them. No one turned around as it was just part of the ambiance of the theater but gradually the moans got a little louder as snippets of English was heard.

"SSSSSS, yes, oh baby right there," a female voice could be heard behind them, "Oh yeah, Naruto-kun, can you feel how wet you're getting me?"

"Disgusting," Hikari whispered to the others, "The nerve of some people."

"Yeah babe but that voice seems familiar though, I know I've heard it some where," Toji replied also in a whisper.

Soon the girl quieted down as the movie went on but then the small group began to hear sounds like someone eating a large object. At that Kensuke turned around and in the dark all he could make out was the girls head of pink hair bobbing up and down in her lover's lap. Trying not to bleed from his nose Kensuke nudged Toji,

"Dude, don't look but that girl is sucking her date off."

Hikari heard a little of what was said and had Toji repeat it for her which caused her to gasp in shock. "Now that's just rude," she whispered to Rei.

Rei however was listening intently as she thought she recognized the girls voice. All was quiet until she heard the guy speak up also in English, "Geezz Sakura baby, you better stop or I'm going to blow."

'That sounds like...no he wouldn't be here, they said that they were going out of town for the day,' Rei thought to herself as Hikari frowned and the boys snickered at what was going on behind them.

Just as things began to settle down the girl behind them began to urgently whisper again, "Oh god baby I need you in me right fucking now! Yeah, that's it oh, oh, ooooohhhhh yeahhhh slide that monster in me, right there baby, yeah baby, that's the spot," just as Hikari turned around to give the lewd couple a piece of her mind the girls next exclamation shook them all up, "Ohhhh yeahhh Naruto-kun, yeah that's it. You know just what I like don't you?"

"Anything for my Sakura-chan, anything for you my love," the male whispered back as Hikari sat as if petrified.

Kensuke looked at Toji and raised an eyebrow, "Naruto? Sakura-chan? Dude who the fuck are these two?" he whispered to his friend.

"I don't know but they sound familiar," replied Toji as both boys turned around to see...

It was Rei that broke the spell, as she herself turned to face the couple she couldn't help herself, "So that's what making love looks like. Is it as fun as it looks Asuka?"

"Rei!?" screamed Asuka, "Wha...what are you doing here?"

"Trying to watch a movie with my boyfriend, what are you doing here?"

"I..uh.. we...well," the flustered girl turned to her husband, "Say something stupid."

"I'm...coming," was all she got out of her spouse as he emptied himself into her.

By now Hikari was on her feet and glaring at her friend, "Asuka Sagara, what is going on in that mind of yours? Having relations in the theater? In Public? Don't you know that this could hurt your reputation?"

"So could yelling out my name, I don't think the people in the first row heard you so can you yell out my name again? Seriously Hikari, just cool it and get off of your high horse or do you want me to tell you all I know about what you and the Stooge do when your father's not home?" Asuka hissed back, "Besides, don't knock it if you've never tried it Hikari, it's such a rush."

About this time Toji's mind had rebooted, "Shin-man? Is that you?"

"Yeah Toji, it's me. Now I don't mind you looking at us when we're...occupied but now the show is over so could you, you know, turn around?"

"Ahh, yeah, sorry. Hey at least Kensuke forgot his camera this time around," Toji said with a nervous laugh.

"He better," Asuka hissed, "or he'll pay in Monday's training session."

Turning to her husband she whispered, "I thought you said that your sister and the others wouldn't want to watch a movie like this. If they so much as say one thing about this in class I'm cutting your nuts off."

With that everyone just watched the movie as the sight of a semi-naked Asuka danced in both Toji and Kensuke's mind while Hikari was trying to get the sight of Shinji's equipment out of hers. It's not like she'd never seen one, she and Toji sometimes fooled around like Asuka suggested but never in public. She wasn't as bold as her red haired friend and it showed in her personality. Rei however was thinking about how nice it would be for her to do something like that with Kensuke.

When the movie ended the three couples all got up and left the theater. After a quick discussion they all headed to a small cafe and began to order dinner. Asuka just looked at the menu and sighed,

"I don't know what I want, all I know is that for some reason I've worked up and appetite. Let's see, Shinji, if I ordered sausage smothered in pancakes would you eat half of it?"

As Shinji answered Kensuke choked on his water, the double meaning of what Asuka said making it's way to his brain. What Rei said next didn't help matters,

"That sounds good, Kensuke if you ordered that would you share your sausage with me?"

"Uhh, sure Rei, I'd share my sausage with you anytime," the glasses wearing teen replied as Toji's heart almost stopped and Hikari turned bright red.

Finally everyone settled down and ordered, Asuka deciding that teasing everyone had gone on long enough, for now at least. At about the same time Kensuke noticed what the Ikari's were wearing. Looking at their clothes he just had to ask,

"Shinji? Why are you dressed like Uzumaki Naruto and Asuka like Haruno Sakura?"

"Because he couldn't find his sharingan contact lenses of course, duh," Asuka replied.

"So, you usually dress as Naruto or is it the emo?" Aida asked his friend.

"Naruto," Asuka once again answered, "His eyes are just blue enough to pull it off, but some times he dresses like Sasuke and I dress as Hinata to piss off the Sasuke and Sakura fans."

Kensuke couldn't help himself as he asked another question, "Owww, that's just mean. So, who do you ship? This pairing or..."

"Naruto and Sakura all the way," Shinji finally spoke up, "I mean they were _the_ couple for almost all the manga. I don't know what they were smoking at the end but it just didn't make sense."

At this Toji's mouth dropped, Shinji, as well as Asuka were as rabid as Kensuke was where otaku were concerned. They were from the dark side, sure, they do outrageous things like have sex in public, kill monsters and pilot giant robots but cosplay? The poor guy just sighed, it seemed that all his heroes have feet of clay.

Aida paid no mind as he asked more questions, "Who else do you dress up as?"

"Asuka makes a wicked Sailor Moon and I'm not a bad Tuxedo Mask," was Shinji's reply before Asuka chimed in.

"He also makes a great Kanta from Desert Punk and I'm not a bad looking Kosuna. He's also my Kazuto to my Narue and Tsukune to my Moka," Asuka added.

"So, where did you and my brother go to today?" asked Rei.

"Oh, there was a cosplay event in Tokyo-2 that we've been waiting to go to. Thank goodness no Angels attacked but if they did Misato had a VTOL on standby at the heliport near by," Asuka explained.

Hikari was still fuming about her friends earlier behavior and Asuka noticed the class reps mood, "What's wrong Hikari? You realize that your stooge has been doing it all wrong?"

"NO! Asuka, I just can't believe that you and Shinji-kun would do something like that! In a theater of all places, have you no shame?" Hikari asked as she scolded her friend.

Asuka was not upset at the lecture, she and Shinji had had worse from her minders, Agent Smith was usually the one to talk to her and for some reason he was the one that could get her to feel a little guilty for what she had been caught doing. But that was beside the point, she got to tease Hikari at a whole new level.

Looking at her husband and pointedly ignoring Hikari Asuka began to speak to him, "See? I told you that when we cosplay we should use our character's names. The look on Hikari and stooge's faces was worth it."

"SIGH, Asuka, you know that won't work, every time one of us gets close to the edge we break character. It was just blind luck that Rei realized it was us. Hikari might be right though," Shinji said with a smirk, "maybe we should keep something like this in our home and not out in the streets."

"But it's not as much fun at home," Asuka pouted while looking at Hikari as if the girl canceled Christmas and tossed orphans out into the street, "Anyway, it's Hikari's fault for making us feel bad about what we do to enjoy ourselves."

"Me? How is it my fault?" said girl replied in shock.

"Well, you were the one that got the attitude about what we were doing, Rei didn't seem to mind and I'm fairly sure the two stooges weren't complaining, so it has to be your fault,"Asuka shot back and then stuck out her tongue.

By then Rei and Shinji both had grown tired of the bickering and told the two girls to knock it off and get ready to pay the bill.

As the group of teens left the cafe they walked to the side of the street near a parking structure where Shinji had parked his car. He and Asuka waited until the NERV SUV that Rei had called arrived. As the two couples loaded themselves into the vehicle Shinji told Kensuke to watch over his sister very closely. After that the married teen took his wife's hand and made his way to his own transport.

Later that evening Rei had settled herself onto Kensuke's lap and was sharing a gentle but passionate kiss. As the kiss heated up so did our young couple with Kensuke massaging Rei's womanhood through her underwear. Rei began to return the favor and was stroking her lover through his clothing. The girl began to moan softly as her breast was gently squeezed with her love's unoccupied hand.

Standing up she grabbed her lover by the wrist and uttered one word, "Bedroom," before rushing into the adjoining room. Quickly removing their clothing both teens came together in a loving hug, their lips contacting with what seemed like a spark of electricity. While the pair had seen each other naked in the past many times tonight was different, it was as if by unspoken agreement both knew tonight would be the night they took their relationship into it's final step, they were going to make love for the first time in their lives.

As they felt the contact of the others body they felt what was like an electrical spark. Mixed with the excitement of their lust was the overwhelming feeling of love between the two. As they kissed Kensuke maneuvered himself and his love to the side of the bed. As they made contact with the mattress they lost balance and fell onto the soft surface. Rei pouted when he lover broke the kiss as he scrambled to place himself on top of her body. She sighed as his warmth covered her like a soothing blanket.

Feeling the return of his lovers kiss Kensuke reached down and began to run his finger over and then inside Rei's lower lips. As she stroked her he felt the lips of Rei's vagina becoming soaked with her moisture. As he lined himself up he noticed that Rei had an abundance of peach fuzz covering her outer lips that grew slightly thicker the further up it went, ending in a very light blue triangle covering her mound. As his manhood made contact his kisses became more feverish with his lover returning them in kind.

Giving her one last deep kiss Kensuke moved a fraction closer relishing in the warm moistness of his first and only love. The deeper he pushed in the tighter and warmer Rei felt, her wetness helping him move along into her body. As he felt her become used to his invasion all progress was stopped as he felt the barrier to his movement and proof of her purity. As his dick made contact Rei felt an electric jolt from his touch. She also understood what needed to happen next.

Grabbing her lover's head she brought his mouth to hers for a mind searing kiss before she found her voice and moaned softly into his ear, "Before you ask, I'm ready. Ready for you to make me yours Kensuke. Go ahead, you'll not hurt me," finishing she gave the teen another emotion filled kiss.

Kensuke nodded as he was lost for words after that last kiss. He just nodded and wrapped Rei's upper body in a tight hug just before he bucked his hips forward forcing his way past her hymen. As he felt himself bottom out he stopped moving, all he did was hold Rei tightly and kiss her tears away.

Unlike the video tapes and magazines he and Toji had looked at over the years Kensuke knew not to rush. This first time was all about Rei and her pleasure so it unnerved him a little to see the 'Ice Queen' of the Tokyo III school system shed tears. To him she was the most confident girl he knew with only her sister in law Asuka showing a stronger mix of confidence and bravado. That was confirmed in his mind after witnessing the girl and her husband in the theater earlier that evening. Now however, was all time for Rei. As he kissed her he began to feel her relax the muscles she had tensed during his penetration.

"Rei?" he began to ask.

"It is fine Kensuke, the pain is gone and all I feel is you and...intense pleasure," the girl softly replied, "You may move if you wish however it's quite pleasurable just feeling you inside me as you hold me tight."

Kensuke swore she had one of Asuka's 'kitty smiles' as she mentioned how she found his embrace pleasurable. At her words though he began to move again only this time Rei was starting to meet his thrusts. Kensuke didn't move as fast and as hard as he could, he remembered Shinji telling him that while he wanted his sister to wait he knew that was asking a lot. He just gave advice to his some what friend about the 'first' time and that his partner would feel fine at first but would hurt in the hours following. Hence the slow and restrained movements.

Rei was thinking along the same lines as she had a similar talk with Asuka. Asuka however pulled no punches and flat out told the blue haired girl that she would hurt a lot the next day. Knowing that she was thankful that Kensuke was being as gentle as he was even so, the pleasure she felt was building. As she held her lover in a tight embrace she began to relax and loosen up as Kensuke began to slowly withdraw from her depths a few millimeters at a time. As he pulled back a bit she hissed in pleasure and gasped in joy as the stroke was reversed.

Slowly but surely the distance and speed of each thrust and withdrawal began to increase and as it did Rei found herself moving in counterpoint to Kensuke's actions. Eventually she began to buck her hips forward to meet her lover so he could bury himself deep into her folds. As this was happening both Rei and Kensuke began to breath as if they were running a marathon and their bodies were soon covered in a sheen of sweat. With each thrust Rei began to feel a pressure that was centered in her groin began to build to unbelievable heights. Seizing her lover's lips she clung onto Kensuke like a person clung to a life ring as she took in such deep breaths that she felt as if she were drowning. Just as she couldn't take it anymore the pressure she had been feeling exploded into a white haze as she tensed up, her orgasm hitting at once like an N2 mine detonating point blank.

As Rei's orgasm hit her vaginal muscles clamped down on Kensuke's member like a fleshy vice. Her death grip on him coupled by her internal heat and velvet feel sent him over the edge. As they both tensed up Kensuke drove into his lover as deeply as he could and held himself there, his hands on her upper hips near her waist and emptied himself into the condom that he was aware enough to put on before hand. From the feel of things he was glad he had done so since he was sure that he and Rei would have been parents right now.

As his world faded to black the young man let himself fall onto Rei and held her in a loving embrace as she recovered from her own tidal wave of pleasure. Rei smiled as she felt him still deep inside her but slowly losing his firmness as he slowly slipped outside of her. The sensation of that action was enough to draw out one last small orgasm as she felt the heat of his manhood settle next to her rather sensitive pleasure button.

As they recovered Rei looked into Kensuke's eyes and smiled, "Now I know why my sister in law enjoys being with my brother so much. This is something that I can get used to and enjoy a great deal. Thank you my love."

"For what?" Kensuke asked, a little confused.

"For being so gentle and patient. I know that waiting for me was very difficult for you but feeling you inside of me like that tonight was worth the wait. You were so gentle with me and I loved every minute of our love making."

"I'm glad, I was worried that I had hurt you and that I wouldn't be like Shinji was with Asuka. Seeing and hearing then in action kind of made me think that I'd not be good enough for you."

"Don't fell that way, you're all I want because you're you, not my brother. Shinji is Shinji and he expresses himself in a different manner. He and Asuka are perfect for each other just as you and I are made for each other. They're a little more open in where and when they make love but you what?"

"No, what?" Kensuke replied as he kissed Rei on the tip of her nose causing her to giggle slightly.

"I wouldn't mind finding a matching set of costumes and having our own fun in public. That is if you're interested in doing that kind of thing."

"It would be fun but your father..."

"Gendo," she corrected with a frown.

"Gendo. Gendo has you on surveillance that's locked onto you so tight it's a wonder we have any privacy in our apartment. I doubt he'd be happy to see video of the little girl he raised having raw.. _kiss_...dirty... _kiss_...sex in public."

Rei shivered as she felt her lover's lips caress her neck and throat while he spoke to her. Raw, dirty sex, in a public place, for all to see. Somehow it turned the girl on just thinking about doing something that bold. As she thought of Gendo Ikari having a stroke as he watched the video if what his sweet little Rei was doing she smiled. She knew the man was trying to change but ever since she found out that he was willing to use her to seduce her half brother her opinion of him had changed. It would take a lot of time before she saw Gendo Ikari as any sort of father. She had Kensuke and she had her brother and sister in law, they were more than enough. With a satisfied smile Rei wrapped her arms around Kensuke and the two drifted asleep, they had to be up in a few hours and prepare for Kensuke's return to school.

Little did they know that in the next twelve hours Shinji and Rei would face an angel unlike any they'd seen so far and it would take all they had to remove it from this world.

 _ **A/N;**_

 _ **Okay, I am soooo sorry for the long wait, when I got to this chapter I had a huge block and nothing I would write was fitting into the overall tone of the story as a whole. As I tried to get this story updated I had an attack of the plot bunnies and my Naruto story 'Tip Of The Spear' took off in popularity and the chapters for that just flowed to the keyboard. That said, I never forgot about this and would work on it over the time from the last update. Things didn't gel for me until I read a one shot by Panther2G called 'Costumes and Games'. It's a great story that is just on the border of lime, not graphic but Panther has a way of painting mental pictures in his stories that just defines the less is more school of thought. Having said that "Costumes and Games" was what inspired the Sagara's cosplay while the actual love making in the theater came from a story that was posted on Media Miner called Passage. It deals with life in post 3I Tokyo3 as told mostly from Hikari's point of view. Shinji and Asuka are there as is Kensuke but not everyone came back. Anyway, this story is a great one shot and it's the inspiration for the Sagara's penchant for making love in public places.**_

 _ **Anyway, reading it I called dibs on using it as inspiration for a chapter in Welcome To The Machine. If you've read this and Panther's 'Advice and Trust' (and if not why haven't you?) you'll notice some similarities between the two most notably Rei getting help to wean herself off of the drug cocktail she's been drowning in for years. In my story it was Kensuke that was the one to help her and in Panther's it was Shinji and Asuka. This was a complete coincidence but shows how hard it can be to be original in a series that's so old. One of the things I enjoy about writing for NGE is that the series is so old that the audience is more mature and being more mature means that the humor that I try to put into the story is more subtle than what I write for Naruto.**_

 _ **Now, I know that this is a Shinji and Asuka story but Rei and Kensuke are an important part of it and they deserve a chapter or two mostly devoted to themselves and their developing relationship. In this chapter I wanted to show Kensuke somehow having his otaku tendencies and curiosity reigned in and what better way than to have a fellow, if older, otaku have a serious talk with him. It just happened that Kazama Shinji in Full Metal Panic was as big if not bigger otaku than Kensuke is. That he happened in this story to be a national war hero and Arm Slave Ace as well as his case officer is just that much more influence on Aida-san and his ego. The talk as you've seen did it's job but whether or not it sticks is up for debate.**_

 _ **As you can also see Rei has her moment of family history as she talks to Kyoko about her brother's early life. I want to paint Rei in a different light than earlier stories, yes she's his sister but unlike the others she and Shinji know of their connection before 3I and unlike the post 3I tales where she and her brother experience their lives in instrumentality she has to learn about Shinji through other people that's known him since he was a child. Rei is a typical little sister in many ways and a unique one in others. Her reaction to her siblings making love in public was so Rei that it completely was the opposite of Hikari's to the point that it screwed with everyone's mind. I picture Rei as an innocent in many ways and experienced in others. This version of Rei is based on my two sisters, specifically the way they were in their freshman year in high school in the late seventies. My baby sister especially was prone to say something that could be taken two ways and most of the time it was around a bunch of horny 16 and 17 year old males. To watch them have their train of thought derail when she yelled out while putting together a shelf that she couldn't talk on the phone because she was 'screwing' was priceless. So yes, this Rei is based on my little sisters.**_

 _ **Now, when it came to take Rei and Kensuke's relationship to the next level I tried to get the feel of the scene different from Shinji and Asuka. Where Rei and Kensuke are very gentle with each other, partly because they're starting out and Kensuke wanted Rei's first time to be special, they don't have the urgency of Shinji and Asuka. Those two have an almost eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow we die urgency in their lovemaking because face it, how many times have they faced off with bad people wanting to kill them, giant psychotic aliens not withstanding. Truth to be told, I'm falling in love with Rei and Kensuke's relationship since it's such a blank slate.**_

 _ **Now, time for some happy news not concerning my story, "Unbroken", by Donderkind has been raised from the dead. After a nearly four year gap the story, if you've not seen it, has updated. If you've never read it do so, it's a very good do-over tale with Asuka in the main role.**_

 _ **Recommendations for NGE stories,**_

 _ **Life After EVA, a post 3I tale that was incomplete for ten years before the author decided to finish it. This was finished a few years ago but is worth the mention.**_

 _ **Advice and Trust, a very good reworking of the canon story that expands on the question What would have happened if Asuka and Shinji had just sat down and talked? Nearing it's end but there's still a lot to go. as mentioned earlier Panther 2G has a way with words that lets you paint the picture of Shinji and Asuka being intimate without coming out and saying it.**_

 _ **The Swim Of Things, on Media Miner tells of the key players of Evangelion again in a post 3I world. Over the course of the story we see love bloom between Shinji and Asuka as well as Kensuke and Rei. This story had a part in inspiring me to write about Rei and Kensuke. It also shows Asuka in her weakest moments since the canon events and how she confronts her past in Germany. My only complaint is that it's not finished and most likely never will be.**_

 _ **That's all for now, I'll try to post an update sooner.**_


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